Dick Saslaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dick Saslaw
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| Majority Leader of the Virginia Senate | |
| In office January 8, 2020 – January 10, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Tommy Norment |
| Succeeded by | Scott Surovell |
| In office January 28, 2014 – June 12, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Tommy Norment |
| Succeeded by | Tommy Norment |
| In office January 2008 – January 12, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Stosch |
| Succeeded by | Tommy Norment |
| Minority Leader of the Virginia Senate | |
| In office June 12, 2014 – January 8, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Tommy Norment |
| Succeeded by | Tommy Norment |
| In office January 12, 2012 – January 28, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Tommy Norment |
| Succeeded by | Tommy Norment |
| In office January 1998 – January 2008 |
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| Succeeded by | Tommy Norment |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 35th district |
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| In office January 9, 1980 – January 10, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Omer Hirst |
| Succeeded by | Dave Marsden (Redistricting) |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 19th district |
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| In office January 14, 1976 – January 9, 1980 |
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| Preceded by | James Tate |
| Succeeded by | Jim Dillard |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Lawrence Saslaw
February 5, 1940 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Eleanor Saslaw |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of Maryland, College Park (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1958–1960 |
Richard Lawrence Saslaw (born February 5, 1940) is an American politician. He was a leader in the Senate of Virginia for many years. He served as the Majority Leader of the Virginia Senate from 2020 to 2024. He chose not to run for re-election in 2023.
Mr. Saslaw is a member of the Democratic Party. He first served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1976 to 1980. After that, he was elected to the Senate of Virginia. He represented the 35th district. This area includes the city of Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County and Alexandria.
He was the main leader for the Virginia Senate Democrats from 1998 to 2024. He held the role of Senate Majority Leader several times. These times included 2008 to 2012, January to June 2014, and 2020 to 2024. He also served as Senate Minority Leader for many years.
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About Richard Saslaw's Life
Richard Saslaw was born and grew up in Washington, D.C.. He went to Woodrow Wilson High School. He served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1960. After his military service, he earned a degree in economics from the University of Maryland. He then started a business in the gasoline service station industry.
Mr. Saslaw and his wife, Eleanor, moved to northern Virginia in 1968. Eleanor was a guidance director and served on the Virginia State Board of Education. Their daughter, Jennifer, studied at the University of Virginia and Stanford Law School. The areas Mr. Saslaw lived in and represented were in the Springfield area of Virginia. He is Jewish and has been active in Virginia's Jewish community.
Leadership in the Virginia Senate
Senator Saslaw became a Floor Leader in the Virginia State Senate in 1996. This happened under a special agreement when the Senate had an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. In 1998, he was elected Senate Minority Leader. He kept this role until 2008, when Democrats gained control.
He then became Senate Majority Leader in 2008. He served as Majority Leader until 2012. When Democrats lost control, he became Minority Leader again. He was Minority Leader from 2012 through 2019, except for a short time in 2014. He was again elected Majority Leader later on.
He was the Chair of the Senate's Commerce and Labor Committee. He was also an important member of other committees. These included the Judiciary, Education and Health, Finance and Appropriations, and Rules Committees.
Key Political Ideas
Gun Safety Laws
In 2019, Senator Saslaw suggested new laws about guns. He wanted to raise the age to buy a gun in Virginia from 18 to 21. He also proposed banning "bump stocks," which are devices that make guns fire faster. However, these bills did not pass in the committee.
In 2011, he was part of a group of senators who stopped a bill called Castle Doctrine. This bill would have allowed people to use deadly force against an intruder in their home without legal problems. The committee voted against the bill.
Expanding Health Coverage in Virginia
Senator Saslaw played a big part in helping Medicaid expansion become law in Virginia. Medicaid is a program that helps people with low incomes get health insurance. A Republican senator tried to stop the bill from passing. Mr. Saslaw noticed this move and prevented it. This allowed the bill to move forward.
Because of his actions, the bill passed and became law in 2018. This expansion helped over 400,000 people in Virginia get health insurance coverage.
Environment and Energy
Mr. Saslaw has often supported Dominion Energy. This is Virginia's largest electric company. Dominion Energy has also given a lot of money to his campaigns. In 2018, it was reported that Dominion had given him about $350,000 over 15 years.
He helped pass a law in 2018 called the Grid Transformation and Security Act. This law allowed the State Corporation Commission to review utility rates regularly again. It also gave $200 million in credits back to customers. The law also made it easier to approve new solar energy projects.
Supporting Education
Education was a very important issue for Senator Saslaw. He was a ranking member of the Senate Education and Health Committee. He also chaired the Higher Education Subcommittee. The Virginia Association of School Boards named him Legislator of the Year in 2006.
In 2013, the Virginia Education Association also named him Legislator of the Year. This was for his work on a study about school funding in Virginia. After Medicaid was expanded in 2018, more money became available for teacher pay raises. Teachers received a 3% raise, which later increased to 5%. Additional money was also set aside for students who needed extra help and for more school counselors.
Transportation and Metro Funding
Senator Saslaw was a key supporter of a bill to fund the Metro system. The Metro is a train system in the Washington, D.C. area. The bill stated that Virginia would give $154 million a year to Metro. Maryland and Washington, D.C. would contribute the rest to reach $500 million annually. This agreement was seen as a big step forward.
2019 Election Challenge
In September 2018, Yasmine Taeb announced she would run against Senator Saslaw. She was an attorney and moved to the district to be closer to immigrant communities. Karen Torrent, an environmental lawyer, also challenged him. Senator Saslaw won the primary election in June 2019. He successfully kept his position.
Retirement from Politics
In 2023, Senator Saslaw announced that he would not run for re-election. He retired from Virginia politics at the end of his term in January 2024.
