Freedom Virginia is an advocacy group that supports left-of-center policy goals in Virginia, particularly the establishment of a state Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

In May 2023, Freedom Virginia, the SEIU Virginia Local 512 labor union, the Loudon Education Association teachers’ union, and left-of-center nonprofit New Virginia Majority organized a protest march through Leesburg to the Loudon County Government Center to support left-wing economic policies. ¹

Policy Goals

Health Care

Freedom Virginia supports the establishment of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board charged with instituting regulations that would lower drug prices in Virginia. ²

Freedom Virginia is part of the Virginians for Affordable Medicine coalition. ³

Labor

Freedom Virginia supports the implementation of a government mandate for employers to grant paid sick days. ⁴

Budget

Freedom Virginia supported the state budget proposed by the Virginia Senate Democrats in 2023, which includes a child tax credit, an earned income tax credit, and government-mandated paid family and medical leave. ^{5 6}

Affordability Scorecard

Freedom Virginia Pproduces an “Affordability Scorecard” that rates Virginia legislators based on how they voted on bills pertaining to left-wing economic policies intended to lower costs for middle class individuals. These bills include proposals to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, institute government-mandated paid sick days, institute government-mandated paid family sick leave, reform zoning laws to permit the construction of more affordable housing, institute regulations to reduce the prices charged by Virginia utility companies, and establish an earned income tax credit. The Affordability Scorecard also gave points to legislators who opposed a bill to reduce corporate taxes, and a bill to lower the minimum wage for workers under 18. ⁷

Freedom Virginia lists 10 “affordability champions” in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, of which eight are Democrats. The organization lists an additional 19 “economic security allies” with lower but still good scores, all of whom are Democrats. ⁸

Advertisements

In April 2023, Freedom Virginia launched an advertisement criticizing state Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) for voting against Senate Bill 957, which would establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. SB 957 passed the Senate but failed in the House of Delegates. ⁹

Freedom Virginia’s executive director Rhena Hicks accused Senator Dunnavant of putting “pharmaceutical companies’ profits over the health of Virginians and she offered no alternative plan in the face of what is undeniably a crisis.” Senator Dunnavant, who is a doctor, voted against the bill because she was skeptical that a board could effectively reduce drug prices. ¹⁰

Leadership

Freedom Virginia executive director Rhena Hicks previously served as a legislative aide and then chief of staff for Virginia Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D-Virginia Beach) from 2019 to 2022. ¹¹ In March 2023, Hicks met with U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at the U.S. Capitol to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act and healthcare reform on the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. ¹²

Communications director Brigid Godfrey previously worked as an independent expenditure political coordinator for the Democratic Governors Association, as a campaign manager for the successful Virginia Delegate campaign of Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-VA), as communications and digital director of the unsuccessful lieutenant-gubernatorial campaign of Norfolk City Councilor Andria McClellan (D), as deputy communications director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, and as a research and digital assistant of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus. ¹³

Funding

Freedom Virginia contributed almost $55,000 to the successful state Senate campaign of Aaron Rouse (D). ¹⁴

Freedom Virginia has received $38,000 from the Clean Virginia Fund. ¹⁵

1. “New Virginia Majority.” Twitter. May 3, 2023. https://twitter.com/NewVAMajority/status/1653746802397442049?cxt=HHwWgsCzlY79pPMtAAAA.
2.  “Affordable Healthcare.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/affordable-healthcare/.
3. “Affordable Healthcare.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/affordable-healthcare/.
4. “Paid Sick Days.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/paid-sick-days/.
5. “State Budget.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/state-budget/.
6. “Contact Your Legislators in Support of a Family Friendly Budget.” Every Action. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://secure.everyaction.com/FXjKf9r_f06qnwSsq3AwFw2?autoSubmitSuppressed=true.
7. ^[1] “Affordability Scorecard.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/2023-affordability-scorecard/.
8. “Affordability Scorecard.” Freedom Virginia. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://freedomva.org/2023-affordability-scorecard/.
9. Rene Woods, Charlotte. “Nonprofit launches attack ad against Dunnavant in Senate race.” Richmond Times Dispatch. April 25, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/nonprofit-launches-attack-ad-against-dunnavant-in-senate-race/article_ca281728-e373-11ed-8595-53dd6a18c755.html.
10. Rene Woods, Charlotte. “Nonprofit launches attack ad against Dunnavant in Senate race.” Richmond Times Dispatch. April 25, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/nonprofit-launches-attack-ad-against-dunnavant-in-senate-race/article_ca281728-e373-11ed-8595-53dd6a18c755.html.
11. “Rhena Hicks.” Legistorm. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/368414/Rhena_Hicks.html.
12. “Video: Rhena Hicks of Norfolk Visits U.S. Capitol to Discuss the Importance of Affordable Health Care on ACA’s 13th Anniversary.” Blue Virginia. March 25, 2023. https://bluevirginia.us/2023/03/video-rhena-hicks-of-norfolk-visits-u-s-capitol-to-discuss-the-importance-of-affordable-health-care-on-acas-13th-anniversary.
13. “Brigid Godfrey.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigid-godfrey-2951a68a/
14. “Freedom Virginia.” VPap.org. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.vpap.org/lobbying/client/366030-freedom-virginia/.
15.  “Freedom Virginia.” VPap.org. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.vpap.org/lobbying/client/366030-freedom-virginia/.