Letter to James Landrith re: Multiracial Category

Mr. James A. Landrith, Jr.
Post Office Box 8208
Alexandria, Virginia 22306-8208

Dear Mr. Landrith:

I am writing to inform you that the legislation relating to multi-racial identity which you requested my office to initiate was not introduced this year. As we have previously discussed, I had turned the package over to Delegate Brian Moran.

As you are no doubt aware, the OMB sent an order permitting the designation of racial identities to the White House and it has been signed by President Clinton. My understanding is that this OMB order should be effective at the federal level in time for the next census.

If you still have an interest in enacting such a measure at the state level in Virginia, I might suggest to you that you contact Governor Gilmore to see if it might be similarly enacted by mandate, as it was federally. This might be a less time consuming process.

I will file your letter and information packet away in a file I keep for possible future legislation. Please keep in touch with my office and if you are still interested I will be glad to take a serious look at your suggestion next year and perhaps commit it to a study.

LTP/cbm