The General Assembly has concluded its work for both the Regular and Special Sessions. The days were long and the issues were complex. The pandemic has touched Virginia like an octopus, reaching into our lives, jobs, economy, housing, utilities, education, access to healthcare and in many cases, struggles to survive.

February is Black History Month. From Barbara Johns to President Obama, there are many individuals who readily come to mind who have been trailblazers and influential leaders in their professions and in the social sphere.

“A number of new laws went into effect on Jan. 1. I believe the most critical measure is the ban on holding a personal electronic device while driving. Simply put – no texting and driving; no looking for phone numbers; no reading emails while driving.”

As President-elect Biden aptly put it, there were over a quarter of a million empty seats at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

This calendar year is turning out to be one of the most unusual of my lifetime and likely yours.

Sadly, the leadership coming out of Washington leaves much to be desired. Denial and defiance are not cures for Coronavirus.

Although Virginia has been thoughtfully managing the pandemic, Coronavirus is still among us.

We are roughly three months away from the most consequential election of our lifetime. While that phrase seems trite, make no mistake this is not “fake news.”

2020 will go down in history as one of the most productive legislative sessions.

That we are living in unprecedented times, is an understatement.