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By Emily Jordan
Jordan’s Journal

We experienced inclement weather this week in Richmond, but that did not slow down the legislative process!  We have worked diligently this week to move many bills through both chambers.  Next week is the final week of the 2025 session.  I look forward to returning home and seeing folks back in the district.    

Let me take a moment to update you on a few of my bills.   An important economic development bill, Senate Bill 1275, has advanced.  SB1275 is a bill that aims to reduce the acreage requirements for Virginia’s Economic Development Program’s “Virginia Business Ready Sites Program” Grant Fund.  Passage of this policy will make it easier for smaller communities—like Emporia, Portsmouth, Franklin, and towns such as Smithfield and Windsor and others in the 17th Senate District—to access additional funds to attract new businesses and create jobs. Currently, many of our localities are unable to qualify for these opportunities because they don’t meet the required number of contiguous acres for application. SB 1275 seeks to change that by lowering the acreage threshold for localities under 35 square miles of land mass to benefit from this important program.  

Also passing this week was SB1272, my bill to address Trespassing with an Unmanned Aircraft over critical infrastructure and military bases.  Due to its military and defense importance,  Virginia is a top-tier target for monitoring by bad foreign actors.   Over the last two years, there have been reports of drones flying over certain military and other critical infrastructure sites in the Hampton Roads area. A few weeks ago, drones flew over much of the East Coast.  This bill is a proactive action to strengthen our state laws as technology advances.  

Maternal health is an issue close to my heart.  Maternal mortality and severe complications remain significant issues in Virginia, with preventable deaths occurring each year. SB1279 will create standardized protocols for managing obstetric emergencies in hospital settings. This important policy will address life-threatening conditions, such as obstetric hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and enhance maternal and newborn health outcomes across Virginia.  Adding vital resources to the Perinatal Collaborative will add protocols and raise awareness in the healthcare setting that will be critical to help save the lives of women.  

The final bill I wanted to highlight is SB1461.  Senate Bill 1461 is a good health policy specific to supporting our children, who are the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable asset. SB1461 would ensure the Department of Medical Assistance Services covers rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) testing for critically ill children under the age of three years old.

Without a diagnosis, families have no answers. The rWGS testing can identify genetic variants associated with rare diseases and help physicians provide timely, targeted treatment that can help prevent a needless diagnostic journey and improve outcomes for the Commonwealth’s tiniest patients.

EMILY M. JORDAN is a small business owner and member of the Virginia Senate representing the 17th District. She previously served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 64th District. She can be reached at senatorjordan@senate.virginia.gov.