As the days wind down toward the end of the General Assembly Session, nerves are frayed and patience is running short.

Members of the House and Senate are both anxious to wrap up a particularly tough session. This year, 53,000 citizens came to the Capitol, exceeding by far any single month’s attendance. Short sessions (odd years) are always more hectic than long sessions (even years). Our citizens who perceive a need for changes in laws request many of the legislative proposals. Likewise, legislators seem to forget one year to the next the limits but rather let their imagination run wild thinking up proposals, forgetting that we have just as many steps to follow but two less weeks to move bills through the process.

Several of my bills focused on the realm of education, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, the Workforce Board and Virginia Community Colleges as we continue to better focus on how to align training with career opportunities.

Three bills that are of great importance to me are my legislation from last year that is focused on a fairer system for contractors who wish to bid on state construction projects.

Frank Ruff represents Lunenburg in the Senate. His email address is District15@senate.virginia.gov.