Virginia's legislative session is over. Here's what's headed to Youngkin.
RICHMOND — The General Assembly took up more than 3,000 bills this legislative session. About 1,000 of those head to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's desk for consideration.
But a number of those bills are repeat attempts at legislation that Youngkin has previously vetoed, raising the question of how much new policy will actually go into effect this year.
Virginia currently has a divided government, where Democrats narrowly control the House and Senate, but legislation they vote to pass must be signed by the Republican governor. That makes for increasingly difficult lawmaking, analysts say.
'Virginia politics today is very different than a generation ago,' said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. 'Twenty or 30 years ago, Republicans and Democrats in the ideological center would tell the extremists on both sides what was going to pass. Now, we really have the 'Washingtonization' of Virginia politics, where you have two very clear partisan camps that find very little interest in working with each other.'
That likely means more vetoes are coming, Farnsworth said.
'You can expect gubernatorial vetoes on a range of issues where the parties disagree,' he said. 'Questions restricting the benefits that Confederate-related organizations have under Virginia law, issues with respect to greater worker rights are likely on the chopping block.'
Youngkin, now in his final year as governor, has demonstrated he has no qualms rejecting legislation he doesn't like. He vetoed 201 bills last year alone, more than any recent governor during their entire 4-year term. The vetoes included legislation that would have removed tax exemptions for Confederate groups and established a right to contraception. Both measures are back on his desk this year.
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'This General Assembly is sending me a multitude of bills, including a budget, and over the next 30 days I will go to work to review and take action on those bills and budget,' he said in a statement following the legislature's adjournment. 'We will have much to address at the reconvene(d) session, but I remain grateful for the hard work of our General Assembly members and their staffs.'
There are issues where the parties agree and get real lawmaking done, particularly in the budget, Farnsworth said.
'Virginia is very fortunate compared to most states; the state's revenue picture is historically much healthier than in many states, and that creates opportunities for additional spending on issues of mental health or public education,' he said.
The lawmakers adjourned Feb. 22. Youngkin has until March 24 to sign, amend or veto bills. The General Assembly will reconvene April 2. Overriding a veto requires a two-thirds majority vote.
Here's what the General Assembly got done this short session, which was made shorter by the Richmond water crisis.
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Both Democrats and Republicans said increased access to maternal health was a priority. Democrats backed a 'Momnibus' package of bills they said will reduce maternal health disparities. That included legislation that would require unconscious bias and cultural competency training for medical professionals seeking to be relicensed. Research shows that this kind of training improves health outcomes for Black mothers.
Last year, Youngkin vetoed similar legislation. He proposed instead two hours of training on disparate health outcomes among Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and underserved rural mothers, an amendment that was rejected by the legislature.
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A bill that would create metrics by which people could reduce their time on probation awaits a signature from the governor. Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last year, though it appears to have garnered more bipartisan support this time around – both House and Senate versions were introduced by Republicans.
Another bill with widespread support across party lines would permit prosecutors to charge people with involuntary manslaughter if they knowingly distributed drugs containing fentanyl that resulted in a fatal overdose.
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Ultimately, just one bill that would regulate data centers advanced to the governor's desk this year. That legislation would require localities to determine the impact of noise on nearby schools and houses of new high energy use facilities, like data centers. Localities would also be permitted to assess the impact of proposed facilities on other resources, like water and forests.
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Though some legislation seeking to amend Virginia Beach's charter to transition to single-member districts failed, another bill is headed to the governor's desk. That legislation would allow the governing body of a locality that has been subject to a court order imposing a remedial election system under voting rights laws to adopt an ordinance to convert one or more at-large seats of such body to single-member districts, provided that the governing body also adopts and implements the remedial election system contained in the court order. Citing pending litigation, Youngkin previously vetoed legislation that would have aligned Virginia Beach's city charter with its district-based election system currently in use.
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A bill with some bipartisan support that would establish a Prescription Drug Advisory Board is back on the governor's desk this year. Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last year, citing concerns about compromised quality of drugs.
Another bill that has broad bipartisan support would align the state's Medicaid pharmacy benefit under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefit manager. Under the Save Local Pharmacies Act, the Department of Medical Assistance Services would evaluate drug pricing, rebates and administrative costs to ensure cost efficiency.
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Though it faces long odds, Democrats reintroduced a bill that would create a legal market for cannabis sales. Though Virginians 21 and over can possess small amounts of marijuana, the legislature has yet to set up a legal way for people to buy it. Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last year.
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The legislature passed a bill that would prohibit candidates from using campaign funds for personal use during campaigns. The legislation passed unanimously. Previous attempts to set limits on campaign funds never made it out of committee.
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A faith and housing bill, which would allow localities to help congregations and other nonprofits develop affordable housing, awaits action from the governor. A bill that increases from five to 14 days the amount of time landlords must wait before beginning eviction proceedings if tenants are late on rent also advanced, as did a bill that would permit tenants to sue negligent landlords even if they're behind on rent.
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Gun safety advocates urged the legislature to pass a slate of firearms-related legislation. One bill that did pass is a ban on assault rifles. Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last year.
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For the first time, both the House and the Senate passed the Consumer Protection Act, which requires sellers to disclose additional fees upfront, displaying the total cost of goods and services.
Reporter Stacy Parker contributed to this report.
Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com
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