Virginia Capitol Connections, Winter 2023 28 Dr. Dawn Marie Adams was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2017, ousting a 10-year incumbent to flip a seat held by Republicans for nearly three decades. She has represented parts of Richmond City, Northern Chesterfield, and Henrico County as the Delegate for House District 68. She is the first Nurse Practitioner and openly lesbian legislator ever elected to the General Assembly and the first member of the LGBT community elected outside of Northern Virginia in the commonwealth’s 400-year history. With 37 years of diverse clinical, administrative, and healthcare policy expertise, Delegate Adams’ background led her to naturally become the foremost expert on the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee and the Joint Commission on Healthcare, where she previously served as the Health Professions Chair and directed the Aging in Place workgroup, respectively. In 2021, she was appointed to the Cannabis Oversight Commission and helped steer the way for legalization while supporting the continuance of a successful and effective medicinal cannabis program for patients. She also continues to serve on the General Laws and Privileges & Elections committees. However, she maintains her term on the House Agricultural, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee was the most fun of her tenure. Delegate Adams’ legislative focus has been healthcare, particularly around issues affecting elderly and vulnerable populations, and creating solutions to increase access and drive down the cost of care. She has worked to remove limitations in the Virginia Code preventing advanced practice nurses and other healthcare professionals from practicing within the full scope of their training and education. In 2020, she sponsored legislation that repealed the requirement that a woman undergo a mandatory ultrasound before receiving an abortion. In 2021, amidst an unprecedented virtual session due to the global pandemic, she passed laws to expand the state insurance plan to cover telehealth services for high-risk patients and to direct the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services to prioritize services for those with the highest economic or social need. Delegate Adams has been an incredibly effective representative working across the aisle and across chambers to pass key legislation important to her and her constituents. She was one of the most successful legislators in her class, passing 39 bills with strong bipartisan support during her six-year tenure. She staunchly believes that good policy supersedes party politics and was the most effective Democratic legislator in the House during the 2023 Session. In addition to expanding healthcare coverage for nursing home residents, her efforts this past term have led to increased protections we talk to each other more than we do to our own families) and he’s an indispensable part of our political fabric. While he will be sorely missed in the General Assembly, something tells me that we’ve not heard the last of Jeff Bourne in the public sphere. Cheers, my friend, on a wonderful career that I know is far from over. Jay Jones, from Norfolk, was a delegate from 2018 to 2021. During her eight-year career in the senate, Amanda Chase strived to serve as an advocate for her district, and the commonwealth at large. Emphasizing both fiscal responsibility and government transparency, Chase’s tenure in the 11th Senate District was defined by a desire to bring the governance of the commonwealth closer to her constituents. Chase was born in Alabama, however, has resided in Chesterfield County since 1979, calling Virginia home for over 40 years. After attending public high school in Chesterfield, she remained in the commonwealth to receive a B.S. in business from Virginia Tech, double majoring in finance and management. Deciding to put her education to work, she pursued a career in the banking and finance industry, holding several managerial positions at locations including the Federal Reserve, Signet Bankcard, First North American National Bank, and the Virginia Student Assistance Authorities. Chase’s entry into politics began long before her senate race. Continuing to use her education and experience in business, for the past 30 years she has started various businesses alongside her husband, namely her political consulting and campaign management firm. What started early on as volunteer work for candidates, grew into directing and assisting grassroots political campaigns full-time. In January 2016, Chase assumed office as Senator for the 11th district, representing all of Amelia County, Colonial Heights, and part of Chesterfield County. With a desire to bring increased transparency to the undertakings of the legislature, Chase helped form the bipartisan Transparency Caucus. Through the efforts of this caucus, the public now has access to committee work online. Her work continued into healthcare in which she was the chief patron of SB 721, a bill requiring medical practitioners providing nonemergency care to give notice of cost prior to treatment. Amanda F. Chase Senator 2016-2024 BY CHRIS BAILEY Dawn M. Adams Delegate 2018-2024 BY BRANDON JACKSON Whether you’re here for one term or many, consider investing in Richmond real estate instead of renting a temporary home. Mark Cipolletti Keller Williams Richmond West 804-349-6463 • markcipolletti@kw.com www.searchRVAhomes.com As Chase will not be returning to the Senate this January, she plans to remain in the political world, helping grassroots campaigns across the commonwealth and voicing interest in a possible statewide campaign. She returns home to her husband and four adult children, with plans to remain in Chesterfield County. In her free time, she enjoys exercising and weightlifting at the gym. Now out of office, she hopes to have more time to travel with her family. Chris Bailey is an associate with David Bailey Associates.
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