By Lauren McClellan and Jackson McMillan, Capital News Service
RICHMOND – Despite multiple days of slushy snow and freezing temperatures, the General Assembly still has held session without taking any days off this winter. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced this past week that Virginia was under a state of emergency because of Wednesday’s snowstorm. According to the National Weather Service’s website, Richmond saw around 4 inches of snow. Many area schools and local government offices closed because of the inclement weather.
Delegate Matthew James, D-Portsmouth, said members of the General Assembly still have been coming to work despite the weather conditions. “We’ve had sessions go on,” James said. “We don’t take days off.”
However, the snow made it more difficult for constituents to come to Richmond to meet with General Assembly members. “I try to meet with as many constituents as I can while I’m in Richmond so I can hear their voices. So I think the biggest impact that I can see is that (the snow) has maybe made it harder for constituents to get to Richmond,” James said. “They’re worried about traveling on the icy roads, or they’re worried about getting back home and taking care of their family and friends. I think that’s been the biggest impact that I can see.”
Delegate Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg, also said snowy or icy conditions could make it difficult for those without professional interests to attend session. “(Snow) may impact people coming to Richmond to testify, but all of the professional lobbyists and groups with interests in the General Assembly are here,” Mason said, “and we didn’t miss a beat,”.
Mary Beth Washington, legislative assistant for Delegate Roslyn Tyler, D- Jarrat, said the General Assembly has not been very busy this past week. “It’s the beginning of the crossover, and we’re gearing up for that,” Washington said. “So there’s not that many meetings being held right now. Next week we’ll be in full force, but this week there’s not that much going on right now.”
Washington also said that the despite the snow, aide staff still showed up to work. “It took (some of the aides) who live locally in the Richmond area longer to get to work because the streets were not clear in their communities,” Washington said, “but they all showed up, the ones that could get here.”
Mason said the General Assembly meets “regardless of circumstances.” “(Inclement weather) doesn’t affect the inner workings of the General Assembly in the least,” Mason said. “This really is a show-must-go-on situation. The toughest part for me was the four blocks between the (downtown) Marriott and here, but once you’re in the door it’s business as usual.”
The last time the General Assembly was closed because of inclement weather was February 2010.
Photographs courtesy of Virginia Commonwealth University's Capital News Service.