Just one week remains in this year’s legislative session. As we approach our scheduled adjournment date of March 14, the House and Senate are working to iron out differences in differing legislative proposals. Both chambers must agree to the exact same language before a bill can go to the Governor for her consideration.
In this week’s e-newsletter, I am exploring two general topics that I hope you will find interesting. I hope that you continue to find these weekly updates informative and helpful.
A.I. in Education
As a member of the House Education Committee, I spent much of my time this session focusing on the learning environment Virginia schools create for children. It is no surprise then that a lot of our energy as a committee has been geared towards tackling the growing influence of A.I. and technology in the classroom.
First things first, there is no escaping the expansion of A.I. Businesses have shifted their models to make room for the increased efficiency A.I. brings. A.I. seems to be the next major shift in the global workforce and now has a stronghold over large portions of the global economy, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. That is all to say, Virginia students must be prepared to step into an economy with a growing reliance on A.I., and it should be the responsibility of the Virginia education system to administer the education required for said preparedness. No longer can students rely solely on the basic foundational learning requirements of reading, writing and math (though this does not undermine their importance), as the needs of our society now calls for a certain amount of technological literacy.
While I’ve stressed the importance of literacy in A.I. and growing technologies, we still must be sure that their usage is being administered in a positive, productive way for Virginia students. Generative A.I. can cause major setbacks for students in establishing some of the foundations of learning mentioned earlier like reading, writing and math skills. We must find a way to balance the positives of increased A.I. literacy and awareness, while also not allowing it to drown out the other key components of our education system which are still incredibly important.
Here are a few bills the General Assembly has put forth regarding A.I. and technology in the classroom:
- HB1486 requires children be educated on the impacts of screen time use and its addictive qualities
- HB1186 requires the Virginia Department of Education track and submit to the General Assembly information on student A.I. usage
- SB394 creates a pilot program focused on the impact of regulated, practical use of A.I. in classrooms
Development
One of the top issues I hear about from constituents is development. Particularly in Chesterfield County, there is a valid concern about the rate of new housing outpacing the road, utility, and school infrastructure. Zoning and development matters are typically handled at the local level. But there are state requirements that our local governments must adhere to in order to ensure fairness.
The record on zoning and development bills this session are mixed. Here are two examples of what we considered.
Earlier this session, the Senate considered legislation (SB781) that would give local governments like Chesterfield additional flexibility to reject new developments when the local infrastructure (roads, water utilities, schools, etc.) were not ready for the development. This, in my view, was a responsible piece of legislation that would ensure community concerns were heard. Unfortunately, the Senate disagreed and killed this bill in committee.
More recently, the House defeated legislation (SB454) that would have established a by-right zoning process. In short, this would give developers the right to construct multi-family housing on a parcel of land currently zoned for business or agricultural purposes without going through the normal zoning process established by the local governing body. The idea behind this bill is to increase the supply of affordable housing in Virginia. I understand there currently exists a shortage of affordable housing, but this bill would quite frankly cause more problems than it fixes. Building new housing developments–particularly in rural Chesterfield–would wreak havoc on local roads and exacerbate already crowded classrooms. This bill passed the Senate, but the House opted to stop debate on this bill due in part to the serious consequences that local governments would have to navigate were it to pass.
Next week is the final week of the legislative session, with our adjournment date slated for Saturday, March 14. I hope to provide you with a more detailed report on several of the key issues–including the state budget–at that time.
It remains an honor to represent our community in the House of Delegates. If I can assist you or your family in any way, let me know.
Sincerely,
Mike Cherry