McClellan, Willett focused on equal rights, environmental legislation

Two Henrico-area Democrats say they plan to push legislation that focuses on climate change and equal rights now that their party has a majority in the Virginia General Assembly for the first time in 20 years.

“I think after regaining the majority for the first time in over twenty years we have some historic opportunity to make progress on a lot of issues that are important to Virginians that have just been stymied by partisanship,” Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Henrico, said in a phone interview.

McClellan detailed the legislation that she wanted to see advance during this session, such as ratifying the ERA, advancing clean energy and renewable energy, expanding access to healthcare, increased educational funding, expanding voting rights, and criminal justice reform.

One bill introduced by newly-elected 73rd District Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico aims to make Virginia more aware of the environmental impact that it has during state, regional and local planning, according to Virginia’s Legislative Information system website.

The bill states that the local planning commission will need to prepare and recommend a comprehensive plan that includes surveys and studies of existing conditions, as well as requirements that may become more pronounced because of climate change.

“I'm particularly passionate about a bill that I've introduced that would require state agencies and localities to assess new plans or policies for impacts on climate change so that we can ensure that we are making well-informed decisions about impacts to our environment,” Willett said in an emailed statement.

Willett is starting his first session after running on a platform consisting of focused on adolescent mental health, the environment, and early childhood education. Willett said that he is excited about Gov. Ralph Northam’s additional funding for early childhood education and more mental health resources in our schools.

Some of the bills that McClellan has introduced will also incorporate the overall well-being of the Commonwealth, like the Virginia Fair Housing Lawand pushing for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

The passage of this bill would add gender identity and sexual orientation to be protected classes of the Fair Housing Act, McClellan said.

“I believe that your right to housing and your ability to live somewhere should not depend on who you love or who you are,” McClellan said. “It’s for the same reason [that] you shouldn’t be able to discriminate on the basis of race or sex.”

McClellan is also the chief patron for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was proposed by Congress in 1972. On Jan. 9, the Equal Rights Amendment was reported out of committee.

Women have been an integral part of the United States, but were not included in the foundational documents of this country and have not been treated equally, McClellan said.

The amendment states that, “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

McClellan said that she is very excited about the possibility of Virginia being the pivotal 38thstate needed to ratify the amendment.

“Virginia’s been on the wrong side of history so many times that it’s poetic justice that we would be the state to put the ERA over the top,” she said.