Virginia’s legislative session hits halftime, teeing up clash with Youngkin
Flags wave on the roof of the State Capitol in Richmond, Va., Saturday Feb. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Democratic-led Virginia statehouse shepherded a slew of bills this week previously vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in a renewed attempt to gain his support midway through the legislative session.
The House of Delegates and Senate debated topics ranging from voter access to contraception ahead of “crossover,” the point by which all legislation aside from the budget must clear its original chamber.
Many of Democrats’ legislative priorities are a replay of the hundreds of bills that Youngkin, now term-limited, vetoed last spring.
“The governor had a record number of vetoes last time,” Speaker Don Scott said after the House wrapped up voting Tuesday. “And I’m sure he’ll do a lot of vetoing this time because, you know, he’s out of touch with the majority of Virginians.”
Democrats have used their majorities to advance legislation on eliminating a tax exemption for the Daughters of the Confederacy, creating stricter limits for firearms, and marijuana sales. The chambers also successfully fought a Republican push to cut taxes on tips, a Youngkin priority.
Republican House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert said Tuesday that Democrats had noble intentions but suggested their legislative priorities were moot when they knew Youngkin would veto most of them.
“There will be a day where we ultimately have to argue about whether or not something should become law, but really, they know that these are just posturing exercises on their part,” Gilbert said.
The session, scheduled to end Feb. 22, comes as all members of the House, the governor, the lieutenant governor and the attorney general are slated to be on the ballot in November. It also takes place as Youngkin, who has a growing national profile, has expressed a desire to leave a lasting mark before leaving office.
Key bills advanced before the crossover deadline include:
Maternal health legislation
Lawmakers passed legislation, dubbed by politicians across the U.S. as a “ momnibus package,” tackling maternal health disparities to improve health outcomes among parents of color. Sen. Lashresce Aird wrote legislation that unanimously passed the Senate allowing doulas to be with pregnant mothers while in labor, which experts say can drive better health outcomes. Democratic Del. Adele McClure passed similar legislation on a bipartisan 89-9 vote that would increase postpartum doula visits for people with Medicaid. Aird also backed a matching Senate bill.
Other legislation includes two bills that unanimously passed the House and Senate establishing a Women’s Health Commission tasked with studying and making recommendations on women’s and maternal health issues. Both chambers also passed legislation instructing the Department of Health to create a phone application available to pregnant and postpartum parents.
Data center regulation
Both chambers debated but failed to pass bills that would pave the way for regulating growth of data centers and their power demands, including ones pushing the facilities to become more energy-efficient and transparent.
The Senate, however, passed a bill instructing state utility regulators to study whether data centers’ energy consumption costs are unfairly passed to consumers. The House also passed legislation requiring data centers to submit a statement assessing their sites’ impact on noise, water, agriculture, forests, parks and historic sites.
Labor reform
House Democrats advanced legislation that would boost the minimum wage from $12-per-hour to $13.50 next year and $15 the year after — legislation similar to a bill Youngkin vetoed last March. House Democrats also put forward a bill requiring a minimum wage for farm workers, which Youngkin also rejected last year.
Democrats warded off Republicans’ push to enshrine in the state constitution right-to-work protections, which forbid unions with collective bargaining power from requiring employees to join. Meanwhile, lawmakers advanced legislation repealing an existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees following a 2020 law that extended that right to local government workers.
Campaign finance guardrails
Lawmakers in both chambers passed bills prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal expenses after declining to pass such legislation last year despite Virginia being one of the few states lacking such a ban. Democrats let two bills banning corporate donations and capping personal donations die on the Senate floor without a vote.
A casino in northern Virginia
After a raucous floor debate, the Senate passed a bill in a 24-16 bipartisan vote allowing a referendum on a casino in a wealthy suburb west of the nation’s capital. Presented by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, the bill passed after another Democratic senator unsuccessfully took up the bill last year. Surovell argued a casino would bring much-needed tax revenue.
Some Democrats representing the populous Washington suburbs, adamantly opposed the legislation. Sen. Barbara Favola said it would raise money “on the backs of individuals who can subject themselves to a very serious gambling addiction.” Sen. Jennifer Boysko said she opposed the bill because it lacked broad community support. House lawmakers will now consider the bill.
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Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.