Advocate Resources

What exactly is the General Assembly legislative session?

Every year, decisions are made and bills are passed by state-level politicians that affect you. These decisions largely happen during the General Assembly legislative session, a period usually starting in January and ending 30-60 days later depending on the year. During this time, many bills come up for votes and either fail, are tabled for later discussion or are passed into law.

The 2023 legislative session begins on Wednesday, January 11th and it’ll be extra important for advocates like you to know what to expect so that you can fully engage in the decision-making processes that affect you and your loved ones.

Clean Virginia is committed to keeping you as up-to-date as possible on where the bills you care about are in the legislative process. Sign up for our email alerts to stay informed.

How do you make sure your legislators hear you? 

At the state level, you have one elected representative in the House and one in the Senate. 

Find your legislators and their contact information here. 

We suggest using a combination of the following methods (in order of effectiveness) to make sure your message gets across:

  1. Invite your legislator to a face-to-face (or virtual video conference) meeting. 
  2. Call your legislator’s office. When you get someone on the line, identify yourself as a constituent right away.
  3. Email your legislator. If using a form letter, make sure to personalize your emails and their subject lines.
Crafting an effective message
  • Identify yourself as a constituent right away.
  • Keep your message clear, concise, and simple. It’s best to focus on one concrete issue each time you contact your legislators, but don’t be afraid to get in touch with them regularly. 
  • Share how the legislation you’re writing about personally affects you, your loved ones, and your community.
  • Be specific about the action(s) you want your legislator to take (e.g., “I’d like you to vote YES on HB 528)

Additional Resources