Filler-Corn addresses governor’s work group on school safety

Del. Eileen Filler-Corn addressed the final meeting of Gov. Ralph Northam’s Work Group on School Safety on behalf of the Safe Virginia Initiative (SVI), held in Richmond at the Patrick Henry Building.

Governor Northam’s Work Group on School Safety was created as part the executive order establishing the Children’s Cabinet to identify and help eliminate causes of traumatic childhood events that may have a long-term impact on a child’s development. Yesterday was the final meeting of the Work Group on School Safety as they have a deadline of October 1st to report their findings to Governor Northam.

In attendance yesterday included many state, local and school officials, including Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni and Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran, as well as community members.

Delegate Filler-Corn shared with the group that SVI was established in April 2018 by the House Democratic Caucus and is co-chaired by Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn and Kathleen Murphy. “We are looking to develop real, substantive and bipartisan solutions to gun violence. The objective of SVI is to develop and propose policy changes with respect to common-sense gun safety solutions based upon critical input from Virginians,” Delegate Filler-Corn said Tuesday.

Delegate Filler-Corn shared details about the three meetings SVI has hosted to-date and four upcoming events, which will be held in October and early November around the Commonwealth as SVI engages people in an open and comprehensive discussion about what potential gun safety policy measures can and should be adopted to accomplish this goal.

“After all SVI events are completed, we will issue a report based on the suggestions and recommendations brought to us by Virginians from across the Commonwealth,” Delegate Filler-Corn said. “The conclusions drawn in our report will be turned into a package of gun safety legislation to be introduced next session.”

Delegate Filler-Corn ended by offering tremendous thanks to the Work Group on School Safety for their efforts on behalf of Virginia’s schools and also thanked Secretaries Brian Moran and Atif Qarni for their leadership, adding that SVI is looking forward to working with their Work Group and other constituencies to find common ground on legislation which can save lives.

Follow SVI online on Facebook at Safe Virginia Initiative.