Legislative Action:
If your delegate is on the Rules Committee, please call or e-mail his office today! He will be listed below. In your own words, ask your delegate to oppose HJ 92 based on one or two of these reasons.
Reasons to oppose HJ 92:
- A study of religious exemption opens the door to reducing religious freedom.
- The religious exemption statute was enacted to guarantee the free exercise of religion in Virginia.
- This statute has protected First Amendment rights of homeschoolers of all faiths for 37 years.
- The statute protects the sincere religious convictions of home educating parents in the same way laws protect the religious freedom of parents whose children attend private schools.
- Data shows that homeschoolers are doing well academically. Regardless of the amount of government oversight—more oversight or less oversight—homeschoolers do equally well.
- Religiously exempt homeschoolers score 33 percentile points higher than other students.
- The statute, as written, gives school boards the freedom to evaluate religious convictions in a way they feel appropriate.
- The questions in the resolution can easily be answered without the expense of a formal study.
House Rules Committee Contact Information
When you call your legislator’s office, you can expect to speak with a receptionist or legislative aide, not the delegate. This person will take your message without debating the issue with you. Always be kind and respectful.
- M. Kirkland Cox (R-Chesterfield, Colonial Heights)
Phone: (804) 698-1066
Email: DelKCox@house.virginia.gov
- Gregory Habeeb (R-Craig, Montgomery, Roanoke, Salem)
Phone: (804) 698-1008
Email: DelGHabeeb@house.virginia.gov
- Algie Howell, Jr. (D-Norfolk, Virginia Beach)
Phone: (804) 698-1090
Email: DelAHowell@house.virginia.gov
- Riley E. Ingram (R-Chesterfield, Henrico, Prince George)
Phone: (804) 698-1062
Email: DelRIngram@house.virginia.gov
- Johnny S. Joannou (D-Norfolk, Portsmouth)
Phone: (804) 698-1079
Email: DelJJoannou@house.virginia.gov
- S. Chris Jones (R-Chesapeake, Suffolk)
Phone: (804) 698-1076
Email: DelCJones@house.virginia.gov
- Terry Kilgore (R-Lee, Scott, Wise, Norton)
Phone: (804) 698-1001
Email: DelTKilgore@house.virginia.gov
- Barry D. Knight (R-Chesapeake, Virginia Beach)
Phone: (804) 698-1081
Email: DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov
- Steven Landes (R-Albemarle, Augusta, Rockingham)
Phone: (804) 698-1025
Email: DelSLandes@house.virginia.gov
- Jimmie Massie (R-Henrico)
Phone: (804) 698-1072
Email: DelJMassie@house.virginia.gov
- Robert D. Orrock (R-Caroline, Spotsylvania)
Phone: (804) 698-1054
Email: DelBOrrock@house.virginia.gov
- Kenneth R. Plum (D-Fairfax)
Phone: (804) 698-1036
Email: DelKPlum@house.virginia.gov
- David J. Toscano (D-Albemarle, Charlottesville)
Phone: (804) 698-1057
Email: DelDToscano@house.virginia.gov
- R. Lee Ware (R-Chesterfield, Fluvanna, Goochland)
Phone: (804) 698-1065
Email: DelLWare@house.virginia.gov
