Summary

VA House District 66

District Map (PDF)

Kirkland Cox

Current Position: State Delegate for VA House District 66
Affiliation: Democrat

Candidate: 2019 State Delegate VA House District 66

For more information, see Kirkland Cox’s post.

Kirk Cox was first elected from the 66th District to the House of Delegates in 1989. The 66th House District includes all of Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield. Kirk is proud to represent the very district where he grew up and graduated from High School. Following his graduation from Colonial Heights High School, he graduated from James Madison University where he holds a B.S. in both Political Science and General Social Science.

On January 10, 2018, Kirk was unanimously elected as Speaker of the House by the members of the House of Delegates. Upon being sworn in, Kirk became the first Speaker in state history from Colonial Heights, the first Speaker to represent a portion of Chesterfield County since the 1800s, and the first Speaker whose profession was that of a public school teacher.

Despite serving as Speaker of the House, Kirk’s priority has always been his hometown district. As Delegate Kirk is honored to represent many of the same students he taught in the classroom during a teaching career that spanned three decades. During the majority of his career, he would serve in Richmond during the day and work on teaching lesson plans at night. As a government teacher, Kirk always believed students learned best by being able to see first hand the workings of their government. Many times, Kirk would welcome his students to the Capitol so they could see first-hand representative democracy in action.

Kirk’s history as a teacher gives him a unique aspect about the job teachers perform everyday. That is why Kirk has fought to make sure teacher’s receive the pay they deserve, supporting 4 pay raises for teachers in the past 6 years, including a 5% raise in 2019.

Kirk works tirelessly to make Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, and all of Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family. In addition to championing a quality public education system, Kirk is also dedicated to improving veteran services, supporting citizens with disabilities, increasing economic development opportunities, and creating jobs.

Most important to Kirk is listening to what ideas and concerns are on the minds of the constituents he represents. He credits many of his major legislative successes to the suggestions made by constituents who he meets while knocking on doors in their community.

Just in 2019, Kirk championed legislation to lift the age cap on Autism related healthcare coverage, make our schools some of the safest in the nation, protect the unborn, take care of our veterans and their families, and provide tax relief to hard working middle class families.

Kirk lives in Colonial Heights with his wife, Julie. Colonial Heights is where they met while in High School, and later where they raised their four sons—Lane, Carter, Blake, and Cameron. The Coxes are members of The Heights Baptist Church where he serves as a Deacon. Kirk is active in the Colonial Heights community and previously coached youth baseball for 14 seasons.

Sheila Bynum-Coleman

Current Position: Real Estate
Affiliation: Democrat

Candidate: 2019 State Delegate VA House District 66

For more information, see Sheila Bynum-Coleman’s post.

Sheila is a proud lifelong resident of Chesterfield County. She is a #MomOnAMission to bring true representation to the people of District 66.

Sheila Bynum-Coleman is a native of Chesterfield County where she attended Monacan High School. Sheila received her B.A. from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Sheila is a mother of five children, all of whom have attended Chesterfield Public Schools. A successful small business owner and community advocate, Sheila first got involved in politics once her delegate decided it wasn’t worth his time to discuss her child with special needs. Since then, she has made it her mission to advocate for improved school services for children with learning disabilities.

Sheila has also dealt with one of a parent’s worst nightmares: her daughter was shot in 2016. While she thankfully survived, Sheila is determined to ensure that as few families as possible in our community experience the trauma and grief of having a loved one affected by senseless gun violence.

But in many ways, Sheila is a Chesterfield success story. She has a background in real estate and construction, maintaining several successful small businesses. She was also appointed by former Governor Terry McAuliffe as the first African American woman to the Board of Contractors.

Sheila spends much of her free time teaching classes for first time home buyers, leading entrepreneurial development workshops, and coaching businesses on fiscal management. Sheila helps numerous organizations such as Veterans Helping Veterans, which supports our veterans in the Richmond Area.

Issues

Economy

Kirkland Cox

Creating Virginia Jobs

Kirk understands the vital importance of helping businesses create new jobs. As a Delegate, he works to help bring both new businesses and new jobs to the Commonwealth. In 2016, Kirk successfully carried legislation creating the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board (GO Virginia). This business-driven initiative facilitates greater collaboration between the business community, higher education, and local governments. By aligning the needs of the three segments, we will encourage the creation of good-paying jobs in high demand fields, and make economic development dollars go further. Overall, Kirk understands that the General Assembly must support legislation that will improve economic growth, create private sector jobs, and significantly decrease burdensome regulations on our small businesses.

Sheila Bynum-Coleman

Virginia’s minimum wage has remained at $7.25 for years, despite the escalating cost of living — it’s literally a poverty wage for working single mothers. Juggling several jobs is not uncommon, in an effort to make ends meet. Sheila believes that if someone works 40 hours a week, they should be able to provide for their families, and she will work towards that goal

Education

Kirkland Cox

Promoting a World Class Education

As a retired public school teacher with 30 years of in-classroom experience and the father of four public school graduates, Kirk believes that a world-class education system is critical to growing Virginia’s economy. Kirk’s vision for K-12 education is rooted in increased accountability and encouraging innovation in the classroom. He supported increased funding targeted to classrooms—not school bureaucracy – and co-patroned legislation adding more school choice options and reducing the number of SOL tests. Kirk led the effort to fund teacher pay raises in the state budget in 2014 and 2017. Additionally, the state’s adopted budget sent 35% of lottery funds, or $191 million, back to local school divisions with no strings attached.

Increasing Access and Affordability to Higher Education

Sheila Bynum-Coleman

Civil Rights

Sheila Bynum-Coleman

Women’s Rights

Women’s rights are under attack in this country, and Virginia is no exception. It is crucial to win more seats in our state legislature. Bills affecting a woman’s right to choose will be on the ballot next year, and we must protect a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions.

Additionally, the Equal Rights Amendment needs only one more state to ratify it — another reason why we need to flip VA blue this November.

LGBTQ Rights

Sheila is strong support of LGBTQ rights here in Virginia. Equality is equality. Period. She believes that no one should be discriminated against because of their identity—especially in the workplace or at home. While the Republican leadership killed off a bill that enjoyed bipartisan support to ban discrimination, flipping VA blue will help move this issue forward.

Health Care

Kirkland Cox

Fighting the Heroin and Prescription Drug Crisis

The ongoing heroin and prescription drug crisis impacts families from all walks of life in all corners of our Commonwealth. In the House of Delegates, Kirk supported common sense legislation aimed at cracking down on pill mills and doctors that over prescribe. Kirk has observed the effects of heroin use first hand by visiting inmates in the Heroin Addiction and Recovery Program (HARP) started by Sheriff Karl Leonard at Chesterfield County Jail. During the 2017 session, Kirk successfully passed legislation to create a statewide pilot program for addiction recovery programs, modeled off HARP. Kirk will continue fighting the heroin and prescription drug crisis and support legislation meant to keep Virginians safe.

2019 Session – Healthcare
HB2247 Optometry, Board of; adds requirements for members. (Robinson-R-27) Adds to the requirements for the five licensed optometrist members of the Board of Optometry that they be individuals who at the time of appointment (i) have met all requirements for practice as an optometrist and are qualified to engage in the full scope of the practice of optometry and (ii) are actively engaged in the delivery of clinical care to patients for an average of at least 20 hours per week.
Status: Passed the House 98-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB1970 Telemedicine services; payment and coverage of services. (Kilgore-R-1) Requires insurers, corporations, or health maintenance organizations to cover medically necessary remote patient monitoring services as part of their coverage of telemedicine services to the full extent that these services are available.
Status: Passed the House 97-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB2260 Health insurance; catastrophic health plans. (Robinson-R-27) Authorizes health carriers to offer catastrophic plans on the individual market and to offer such plans to all individuals.
Status: Passed the House 51-Y, 48-N. Passed the Senate 27-Y, 11-N.

HB2538 Balance billing; emergency and elective services. (Ware-R-65) Requires a facility where a covered person receives scheduled elective services to post the required notice or inform the covered person of the required notice at the time of pre-admission or pre-registration.
Status: Passed the House 9-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB2559 Electronic transmission of certain prescriptions; exceptions. (Pillion-R-4) Provides certain exceptions, effective July 1, 2020, to the requirement that any prescription for a controlled substance that contains an opioid be issued as an electronic prescription.
Status: Passed the House 99-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB2639 Health care shared savings; incentive programs. (Byron-R-22) Requires health carriers to establish a comparable health care service incentive program under which savings are shared with a covered person who elects to receive a covered health care service from a lower-cost provider. Incentive payments are not required for savings of $25 or less.
Status:Passed the House 97-Y, 1-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB1971 Health professions and facilities; adverse action in another jurisdiction. (Stolle-R-87) Provides that the mandatory suspension of a license, certificate, or registration of a health professional by the Director of the Department of Health Professions is not required when the license, certificate, or registration of a health professional is revoked, suspended, or surrendered in another jurisdiction based on disciplinary action or mandatory suspension in the Commonwealth.
Status: Passed by the House 99-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N. Signed into law by the Governor.

HB1917 DOC; Director to establish health care continuous quality improvement committee. (Stolle-R-87) Requires the Director of the Department of Corrections to establish a health care continuous quality improvement committee, consisting of the Director and specified health care professionals employed by the Department.
Status: Passed the House 98-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y,0 -N.

HB2558 Medicaid recipients; treatment involving opioids or opioid replacements, payment. (Pillion-R-4) Prohibits health care providers licensed by the Board of Medicine from requesting or requiring a patient who is a recipient of medical assistance services pursuant to the state plan for medical assistance to pay out-of-pocket costs associated with the provision of service involving (i) the prescription of an opioid for the management of pain or (ii) the prescription of buprenorphine-containing products, methadone, or other opioid replacements approved for the treatment of opioid addiction by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medication-assisted treatment of opioid addiction.
Status: Passed the House 97-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB1640 Health carriers; services provided by nurse practitioners. (Ransone-R-99) Requires health insurers and health services plan providers whose policies or contracts cover services that may be legally performed by licensed nurse practitioners to provide equal coverage for such services when rendered by a licensed nurse practitioner. The bill contains an enactment that exempts the measure from the requirement that the Health Insurance Reform Commission review any legislative measure containing a mandated health insurance benefit or provider. The bill has a delayed effective date of October 1, 2019.
Status: Passed the House 99-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB2318 Naloxone; possession and administration by school nurses and local health department employees. (McGuire-R-56) Possession and administration of naloxone; school nurses; local health department employees. Adds school nurses, local health department employees that are assigned to a public school pursuant to an agreement between the local health department and school board, and other school board employees or individuals contracted by a school board to provide school health services, to the list of individuals who may possess and administer naloxone or other opioid antagonist, provided that they have completed a training program.
Status: Passed the House 95-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB1952 Patient care team; podiatrists and physician assistants. (Campbell-R-6) Establishes the definition of “patient care team podiatrist” and amends the definition of “physician assistant.” The bill modifies the supervision requirements for physician assistants by establishing a patient care team model.
Status: Passed the House 99-Y 0-N. Passed Senate 40-Y, 0-N. Signed into law by the Governor.

HB2126 Accident and sickness insurance; step therapy protocols. (Davis-R-84) Requires carriers issuing health benefit plans to utilize certain clinical review criteria to establish step therapy protocols. The measure establishes clinical review criteria used to establish such protocols and requires carriers to establish a process by which a patient or provider may seek a step therapy override exception determination.
Status:Passed the House 99-Y, 0-N. Passed Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB1682 Dental services; contracts between carriers and providers, PPO network arrangement, etc. (Ware – R – 65) Establishes limits on the ability of a health insurer or other person to sell or otherwise grant access, as provided in a dentist’s or oral surgeon’s provider contract, to a third-party carrier. Access as provided in a provider contract refers to the right to have dental services provided by the participating provider to the enrollees of the third-party carrier in accordance with the terms of a provider contract. The measure provides that such access may be granted only if it is expressly permitted by the provider contract and notice is given to the affected participating providers.
Status: Passed the House 98-Y, 0-N. Passed the Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

HB2169 Physician assistants; licensure by endorsement. (Thomas-R-28) Physician assistants; licensure by endorsement. Authorizes the Board of Medicine to issue a license by endorsement to an applicant for licensure as a physician assistant who (i) is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Commonwealth, (ii) holds current certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and (iii) holds a license as a physician assistant that is in good standing, or that is eligible for reinstatement if lapsed, under the laws of another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States possession or territory.
Status: Passed the House 96-Y, 0-N. Passed Senate 40-Y, 0-N.

Veterans

Kirkland Cox

Helping Our Veterans

A strong supporter of the military, veterans, and their families, Kirk has introduced over 120 pieces of legislation designed to make life easier for active duty military, veterans, and their families. Kirk worked tirelessly to fund the establishment of a veterans’ care center in Richmond and subsequent buildings and expansions in Salem, Prince William, and Hampton Roads. His efforts led to funding for the expansion of the Virginia War Memorial and its Paul & Phyllis Galanti Education Center. Kirk introduced legislation establishing the Wounded Warrior Program (now the Virginia Veteran & Family Support program) in Virginia to better assist service members with TBI and PTSD, as well as their families. To ensure veterans receive their earned benefits, he has fought to increase the number of authorized veterans’ claim officers and to invest in the development of the automated claims system that will lessen the time a claim takes.

Better Government

Kirkland Cox

Reducing Unnecessary Government Spending

Kirk believes strongly that government should focus on the core functions of government and must live within its means. Nowhere is this more evident than when he is working on the state budget. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee and a Budget Conferee, Kirk advocates for a balanced, responsible budget that does not raise taxes or fees on hardworking Virginians. Kirk believes in leading by example, and that means cutting spending within the legislature itself. Since 2010, the legislative branch returned over $19 million in savings to the state’s general fund. By focusing on passing conservative, responsible, and balanced budgets, Kirk’s leadership has placed Virginia in a position to move forward.

Safety

Sheila Bynum-Coleman

Gun Violence

We need common sense gun laws, including universal background checks, and surveys confirm that most voters support such legislation. Sheila’s daughter was shot while attending a house party. Fortunately, her daughter survived, but this experience has made Sheila a vocal champion for gun safety laws in the commonwealth

Criminal Justice Reform

The criminal justice system is inherently unjust and is not doing the job for which it was intended. The system leads to the incarceration of far too many, particularly for drug crimes. People of every race use illegal drugs at similar rates, yet African-Americans are far more likely to be imprisoned than whites. African-Americans are 3-4 times more likely to be arrested for drug crimes and six to ten times more likely to be imprisoned. Additionally, our legislature has shown no interest in helping inmates successfully reintegrate into our communities and productively contribute to society. Nor are they interested in restoring the constitutional right to vote to felons who have done their time.