This course will provide a close-up look at several key, but not always high-profile, public policy issues facing northern Virginia. Encore Learning is teaming here with the Regional Elected Leaders Initiative (RELI), a program of the George Mason University (GMU) Schar School of Policy and Government. RELI founder and co-director Mary Hynes will facilitate the course, which will consist of a series of panels and guest speakers addressing the following topics:

1. Constitutional Amendments (10/2)
2. Virginia Clean Economy: Where Are We? (10/9), moderated by former Arlington County Board member Jay Fisette.
3. Right to Work (10/16)
4. Health Care (10/23)
5. New Cannabis Markets (11/6)
6. Midterm Election Debrief (11/13) by Virginia Public Access Project/GMU’s Schar School. This virtual debrief will have been held earlier, on 11/10. Class members will view the event asynchronously.

The 10/9 and 10/23 sessions will be accessed through RELI’s Zoom links; they will mix Encore Learning students with local elected officials and other governmental decisionmakers for the content hour; and they will provide an additional question-and-answer session for Encore Learning members. The other sessions will use a consistent link from Encore Learning. No class on 10/30, but members will have access to recordings of two September RELI sessions – one on housing affordability and the other on impacts of tax reform.

Note: The focus of this course will be broader than Arlington County. RELI also includes elected officials in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties; and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas and Manassas Park.