serving with joy and honor
When Peter Farrell first took his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates back in 2012, he viewed the opportunities and challenges before him with the refreshing energy and optimism that are so much part of his effervescent personality.
Through three elections and almost six years in office, he’s older, wiser, and definitely more knowledgeable, but he’s also very much the same youthful, exuberant, passionate guy intent on serving his constituents in the 56th District with heart and dedication.
“My gosh, it’s such a unique opportunity,” the 2002 Collegiate graduate, said of his time representing an area that includes Louisa County and parts of Henrico, Goochland, and Spotsylvania. “(The House of Delegates) is the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. Patrick Henry had the seat I have the privilege of representing. That’s crazy. I’ve had an incredible experience.”
It’s an experience, though, that will soon come to an end, for Farrell, considered by many an up-and-comer, recently announced that he will not seek re-election. In his other life, you see, he’s a managing partner in Tuckahoe Holdings. He and his wife Christie have an 18-month-old daughter Garland. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. Something had to give.
“I had an inkling something that something was different this past session,” he explained. “I noticed the shift, but I didn’t know what that meant. Then I realized I had to make a decision. In the end, it came down to (the fact that) I’d rather have greater flexibility to hang out with my wife and daughter. And we’re really busy at work. It just didn’t equate anymore.”
During his tenure, Farrell, a Republican, sponsored several successful initiatives that received scant attention in the media.
One is HB378, which established set rates for medical and legal services in workers’ compensation cases.
“What we did was settle the way doctors get paid in workers’ comp cases,” he explained. “There used to be a lot of litigation about how much insurance companies owed doctors. We were able to thread the needle and come up with a compromise where there’s a fee schedule so doctors already know how much they’ll be paid. That will add a lot of clarity to the system. I really liked the policy part of it. It wasn’t partisan. You had to sit down and work things out.”
Another high point was serving on the Deeds Commission, which studied the delivery of mental health services in Virginia.
“That was far and away the best non-partisan, hardest-working group I’ve ever worked with,” Farrell said. “It was a mix of Democrats and Republicans, but (party affiliation) stayed at the door. It was one of the best examples of public service that you will ever see.”
Farrell also introduced HB1549, which, when it takes effect July 1, 2019, will mandate same-day access for individuals with mental health challenges.
“Doesn’t matter if you’re white or black, rich or poor, if you have mental health issues, you get to talk to somebody that day to get a conversation going,” Farrell said. “That will help a lot of people.”
Lessons learned in his almost six years as a public figure? There’re plenty.
“I had to toughen up a little bit,” he said. “One of the most beneficial things you get from serving in the legislature is a better bearing of your true self. When I was first down there, people would call the office. Some would like what I was doing. Others wouldn’t. I had to learn not to take the criticism personally. I know it sounds cliché, but you have to experience it to learn how to deal with it.”
Also…
“Virginia politics is a really small world,” he continued. “I met a lot of great people. I really enjoyed the interaction with everyone, a lot. I learned early on that the General Assembly is much bigger than anybody. It doesn’t matter how important you think you are, how much hard work you do, how quickly you’ve risen in seniority, the day you’re gone, somebody else is the next man or next woman up.
“Lacey Putney, who was a delegate from Bedford County, was the longest serving member of the Virginia General Assembly (1962-2014). He served at the same time as my great grandfather (Sen. Garland Gray), my great uncle (Sen. Elmon T. Gray), and me. He was a giant, a legend. When he retired, the place moved on. He was a great legislator, but the place is bigger than even he was. Understanding that has helped me stay centered.”
Finally…
“Helping people is really rewarding,” Farrell said. “Being a good delegate isn’t really rocket science. It’s about showing up in people’s communities and being responsive when they call about a concern. (Solving problems) was by far my favorite part of the job. Quite frankly, I’m proud that people on both sides of the aisle could always count on what I told them. I’m proud of having a reputation that I always told the truth.”
