Contacting Your State Representatives
The fastest way to contact the office of your delegate or senator
to express an opinion is to dial direct, providing you have his/her phone number.
Dialing direct is best when the matter may be time sensitive. The two attachments
on this page are lists of delegates' and senators' phone numbers at the Gen.
Assembly Bldg. If you have trouble downloading them, try the on-line directory
also linked below. A lesser alternative is to call the Gen. Assembly switchboard
at 804-698-1500 and ask to be connected with your legislator by name. (If you
don't know your legislators' names, contact your local voter registrar office
for information or use the state's on-line directory.)
The cheapest way is to use the toll-free opinion line. The Gen. Assembly's Constituent
Viewpoint office provides a toll-free, intrastate telephone message center (during
session) to take calls from citizens of the Commonwealth wishing to express an opinion
on legislation. Callers will be asked to provide their name, address, and the issue on
which they are expressing their opinion. The message will be transmitted to the constituent's
appropriate legislators. If a caller seeks additional information concerning legislation
or wishes to speak directly with a legislator, the operator will provide the telephone
number. The hours of operation are from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The number for the
toll-free opinion line is 800-889-0229. Callers in the Richmond area may dial 698-1990.
Articles
- Diversity, by Will Shaw
Because homeschooling has been considered (even manipulated to be) a social, political, or religious
movement, battle lines have been drawn. VHEA has helped erase some of those dividing lines, but every
homeschooler and homeschool organization needs to work at promoting the common goodwhich necessitates
including other homeschoolers.
- Bringing Lawmaking to Life
Learning about lawmaking can be fun, exciting and thought provoking with these resources from
VaHomeschoolers's Government Affairs Committee Chair.
- Homeschool Advocacy Through Community Service, by Mary Alissa Wilson
Our family has always emphasized volunteering because, for us, it is the right thing to do. I see
community service as an incredible opportunity to serve as advocates for homeschooling as well.
- Quiz Yourself!, by Celeste Land
FAQ's about homeschooling laws, lobbyists, and the General Assembly from your VaHomeschoolers Legislative Committee.
- The Dark Side of Legislative Alerts, by Celeste Land
Is there a dark side to hundreds of homeschoolers calling their legislators to express their views on a
particular bill? Why should homeschoolers be cautious about responding to legislative alerts?
- Vulnerability of Virginia Homeschooling Laws and What You Can Do, by Peg Watson
"Each winter the Virginia General Assembly convenes to consider changes to the Code of Virginia, thus
creating a window of vulnerability for our state homeschooling lawsBecause the Virginia legislative process
progresses very quickly, imminent detection of bills impacting homeschooling is necessaryEach year bills
are discovered which are potentially dangerous to the homeschooling freedoms we currently hold."
- Playing an Active, Constructive Role in Legislative Affairs,
by Celeste Land
Explains how you can be a wise consumer of homeschooling legislative information, as well as how to
educate your legislators about homeschooling.
- How and Why Homeschoolers Should Be Involved in Local and State Politics, by Celeste Land
Celeste Lands summary of Delegate Rob Bells presentation at the VHEA Conference & Curriculum Fair 2002.
- Strategies for Building Effective Relationships With Politicians
Celeste Land's summary of Delegate Rob Bell's presentation at the 2002 VHEA Conference & Curriculum Fair.
- In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion
Shay Seabornes account of her first meeting with a candidate for State Senate. I realized
that, as an experienced homeschooler involved in the community, I was qualified to speak
with a candidate, a Senator, or whomever if I could just swallow my fear.
- Homeschoolers Serve in the General Assembly
Homeschooler Georganna Mehfoud, then 16-years-old, wrote about her experience serving as an
intern in a Delegate's office.
- Paging for the 2000 House of Delegates
Tammy Ivins shares her experience as a teen page in the Virginia General Assembly
