On the Issues

Criminal Justice Reform

Elizabeth has witnessed firsthand how the criminal justice system disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities, pushing many into the school-to-prison pipeline. Committed to reform, she successfully led a three-year effort to raise the age at which children are automatically tried as adults from 14 to 16. She also served as chief co-patron on Virginia’s marijuana decriminalization bill and supports full legalization with an equity program for those previously incarcerated for marijuana offenses. Believing in second chances, she sponsored one of the boldest expungement bills of the 2020 session, which would have expunged most misdemeanors after three years. She continues to fight against private prisons, including the GEO facility in Lawrenceville.

Environment

Elizabeth cofounded the Virginia Green New Deal coalition, committed to bold climate action for future generations. Recognized as a Legislative Leader by the League of Conservation Voters, she passed a House resolution declaring climate change an emergency. She successfully passed legislation requiring large localities to consider transit-oriented development, a Green New Deal priority. Refusing contributions from Dominion Energy, she advocates deregulating the energy market to break Dominion’s monopoly as Virginia transitions to a clean energy economy. She received an A+ rating from the Sierra Club and an A with Extra Credit from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. Additionally, she passed legislation to study and create recommendations for regulating PFAS in drinking water.

Health Care

Elizabeth believes health care is a human right and has been a strong advocate for expanding access and affordability in Virginia. She campaigned on Medicaid expansion and helped secure coverage for 400,000 Virginians in her first term. She has consistently introduced paid sick days legislation and fought for paid quarantine leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is leading efforts to require insurers to cover mammograms for women under 40 with a family history of breast cancer and passed a resolution to study lowering prescription drug costs in Virginia. Additionally, she supports expanding telemedicine—particularly in rural areas—by allowing doctors from neighboring states to practice telemedicine in Virginia. She has also introduced a budget amendment to provide prenatal care for undocumented women.

Immigrant Community

As an immigrant herself, Elizabeth has always been a steadfast advocate for immigrant rights. As a member of Prince William County’s jail board, she led the charge to end the county’s 287(g) partnership with ICE, ensuring local resources are used to address community needs. She worked across the aisle to pass legislation granting driving privilege cards to undocumented residents, a goal she had campaigned on since 2016. She continues to push for nondriver ID cards for undocumented individuals. She also passed legislation out of the House to remove the farm worker exemption from Virginia’s minimum-wage law, though it was later blocked in the Senate. Dedicated to immigrant outreach, she served on the Biden-Harris National Latino Leadership Council, frequently appeared in Spanish-language media, and hosted a COVID-19 town hall in Spanish that drew over 7,000 viewers.

Labor and Workers’ Rights

Virginia is ranked first in the nation for business but last for workers. Elizabeth is fighting to change that by ensuring fair wages and strong labor protections. She was a chief co-patron of the bill raising Virginia’s minimum wage and has fought against delays in its implementation. She also led efforts to lift Virginia’s ban on public-sector collective bargaining, making it possible for localities to enter into contracts with public employees for the first time in decades. She has introduced a paid sick days bill every year since taking office and fought for paid quarantine leave during the pandemic. She successfully passed a measure to study extending workers’ compensation coverage to include repetitive motion injuries, an issue Virginia has long neglected. Additionally, she supports repealing Virginia’s Right to Work law, which weakens unions and suppresses wages.

LGBTQ+ Issues

Elizabeth is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and is working to ensure all Virginians can live free from discrimination. She introduced legislation to expand the definition of child abuse to include bullying based on gender identity or sexual orientation. She also passed a bill requiring state employees to undergo LGBTQ+ cultural competency training, which was later expanded into a broader diversity training law. 

Transportation

Elizabeth has prioritized increasing transportation options in Northern Virginia. She secured funding for a study on extending the Blue Line to Quantico and passed a bill requiring localities to incorporate transit-oriented development into their planning. She has also held the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) accountable by organizing a public hearing that led to safety improvements on Route 29 in Fauquier County. Additionally, she worked with the Montclair community and VDOT to conduct a speed study, resulting in the installation of speed monitoring systems.

Veterans and Military Families

Elizabeth recognizes that honoring veterans includes supporting military families while they are still in service. She introduced a resolution through the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators that outlines comprehensive economic reforms for military families, which was unanimously ratified and serves as a national model. She passed legislation requiring the Board of Nursing to expedite licensure applications for military spouses with out-of-state certifications. In the next legislative session, she will introduce a bill ensuring instate tuition eligibility for military families residing in Virginia for over two years.

Women’s Issues

Elizabeth was a vocal advocate for making Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, delivering a passionate floor speech condemning Republican obstruction in 2019. She has always fought for reproductive rights, knowing firsthand—as a former teen mom—the importance of allowing women to make their own health care decisions. She co-patroned legislation lifting the ban on insurance plans covering abortion services on Virginia’s health exchange. She has also secured prenatal care access for undocumented women through the state’s FAMIS program. Additionally, she continues to push for insurers to cover mammograms for women under 40 with a family history of breast cancer.