David and family marked America’s 231st birthday yesterday with friends, neighbors, and constituents at local community celebrations in Alexandria and Mount Vernon.

“We’re lucky to have neighborhoods with such a strong sense of community where all kinds of families can get together and celebrate an old-fashioned, small-town Fourth of July,”said David. “Looking around and seeing people from all different ethnic, religious, and national backgrounds coming together to celebrate as a community really makes me proud to be an American.”

At the annual Rosemont July 4th community picnic on the grounds of Maury Elementary School in Alexandria, David joined Vice Mayor Del Pepper and Sheriff Dana Lawhorne as local Cub Scouts, Webelos, and Boy Scouts presented the colors and led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

David also used the opportunity to show his support for Justin Wilson in the upcoming special City Council election. He also reminded supporters that he needs their help to defeat his Republican opponent this November so he can continue fighting for progress in Richmond.

Later in the afternoon, David and family spent some time at the annual Hollin Hills Fourth of July community picnic in Mount Vernon part of the 45th District. In addition to enjoying to company of his Fairfax constituents, David competed with Caleb in the egg toss contest, smashing the egg and being eliminated from the contest much sooner this year!

Equality Virginia today issued the following news release celebrating the enactment of David’s law to protect equal rights in hospital visitation:

On Sunday July 1, 2007, members of our community who are ill or injured will be able to rest a little more comfortably knowing that they will have their loved ones beside them if they have to go into a hospital. That’s the day legislation that allows all Virginians the right to decide who can visit them in the hospital goes into effect.

The bill, HB 2730, patroned by Del. David Englin (D-Alexandria) passed unanimously in the 2007 General Assembly session and was signed into law by Governor Tim Kaine. It requires that every licensed hospital in Virginia have a visitation policy that allows each and every patient to decide who can visit them during a hospital stay.

“This new law will provide some measure of protection for gay and lesbian Virginians during already difficult medical situations, bringing us one small step closer to the day when every Virginian is treated fairly and with equal dignity and respect,” said Del. David Englin. “I’ve been moved by the number of people who have contacted me with their own stories of how a law like this would have made a difference to them or a loved one. While hospitals rarely have formal policies denying visitation, there have been far too many cases in Virginia where parents refuse to let their gay son or daughter’s partner visit, or where the adult children of a divorced or widowed patient intervene with hospital staff to prevent the patient’s new significant other from visiting,” he continued. “The law will prevent those kinds of tragedies in the future by requiring hospitals to let the patient — and only the patient — have the final say,” finished Englin.

Equality Virginia volunteers will be conducting outreach to their local health providers in the coming weeks to properly educate them on the new policy and help to make sure it is properly implemented.

“As we work to limit the impact the so-called ‘marriage amendment’ will have on our families, this bill helps to define a patient’s rights in determining who is allowed to visit them,” said Dyana Mason, Equality Virginia’s Executive Director. “We applaud Del. Englin, the General Assembly and thank Governor Kaine for supporting this legislation.”