Youngkin must now decide whether to sign the bill as is, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it. That means certain Democratic priorities, including bills to encourage safe gun storage by parents of school-age children, ensure access to contraceptives, and repeal tax breaks for Confederate heritage groups, It could be on the agenda again next month, when lawmakers will try to press their demands. Enter into an agreement on a two-year state spending plan.
So far, Mr. Youngkin has indicated he will only negotiate on one of the bills, which would allow slot machine-style “games of skill” in convenience stores in the state. And it received bipartisan support. He is widely expected to veto most of the remaining bills, issuing 153 bills in one year, exceeding the previous record holder, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who issued 120 bills in his four years as governor. It would expand on the record-breaking row to invalidate the . .
What is less clear is that these expected vetoes could upend the fragile peace between Yonkin and Democratic leadership, who are trying to finalize a budget deal in time for a special session on May 13th. The question is whether or not it has sex. If haggling over skill games continues, budget negotiations may also be affected.
Mr. Youngkin and Democrats have been at loggerheads over the past month over the budget and other bills, exchanging harsh words on social media and on his rival's statewide tour. Mr. Yonkin kicked things off in March by skewering the bipartisan spending plan as a “secret budget,” but comments from House Speaker Don L. Scott Jr. (D-Portsmouth) have only accelerated from there. did. In a video released on the eve of Wednesday's reconvening, he taunted “Glenn pretenders.”
Yonkin said he and his fellow lawmakers called for a timeout on the budget to quell partisan passions.
“I think there's a real path for us to move forward and find common ground,” Youngkin said at the bill signing Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) said he expected Mr. Youngkin to vote down many of the bills he sent back, but said he was prepared to move forward with budget talks.
“If the governor does as prescribed, there will probably be dozens more vetoes unless he finds a new spirit of reconciliation,” he said in an interview Thursday.
Still, it's easy to imagine tensions rising when the veto pen comes out again to put the final nail in the coffin on certain Democratic priorities.
Less than 24 hours before calling timeout, Scott harshly criticized Youngkin for amending the bill to close a tax loophole on Confederate heritage groups. The changes proposed by Yonkin would essentially require the bill to be re-voted next year for further consideration, effectively giving it a blank slate.
Scott, the first African American to serve as speaker of the Virginia House of Representatives, told a small gathering of reporters Tuesday afternoon that the governor “doesn't have the courage to veto it.” “He'll water it down to nothing. Hey, show us who you are. Veto the bill. We won't give you a break. We'll make those amendments. We're going to veto it and send it back, and you can veto it and show us that you support the Confederacy.”
At the same rally, Mr. Scott also criticized Mr. Youngkin's rewrite of the Skill Games bill as too aggressive.
Scott called certain amendments to the bill, which would ban gaming within a 35-mile radius of casinos and other gambling establishments and remove gambling establishments from most of the state's population centers, “a stupid idea.” ' and flatly rejected it.
Mr. Youngkin's office declined to comment on Mr. Scott's remarks.
The governor said Thursday he was open to negotiating the skill games bill, specifically mentioning “boundary policy,” references to the 35-mile clause and the requirement that playing fields be located at least half of the way above 2,500 feet. -Miles — from a K-12 school, day care center, or house of worship.
Yonkin did not rule out delving into other areas of the bill. At this point in the legislative calendar, it would be unusual for the government to offer to negotiate on any aspect. Any changes would have to be written into the budget or be dealt with in an entirely new bill, which could be introduced during a special session if rules are developed to allow for consideration.
Skill games (which look and operate a lot like video-style slot machines, but are said to include elements of skill) were one of the most hotly contested issues of the session. Supporters called it the lifeblood of independent convenience stores, while critics warned it would turn corner stores into mini-casinos.
Although the General Assembly ultimately sent industry-friendly measures to Youngkin, the amendments amounted to a major rewrite that required stricter oversight, limited the number of machines to 20,000 statewide, and required local governments to Authorized to ban machines and imposed a 35% tax on games. Revenue. Opposing lobbyists said the tax language was unclear and could amount to a 45% tax.
Sen. Aaron R. Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), the sponsor of the skill games bill, said he doesn't see it as a bargaining chip in budget negotiations, but he sees an opportunity for some changes.
Yonkin and a small group of legislative leaders from both parties and both chambers are preparing to narrow the differences in taxes and spending in a two-year state spending plan, but there are still many unknowns. The way out of the impasse won't be entirely clear until early May, when the state's next revenue report will reveal how much of the budget surplus will be earmarked for priorities.
“All of that is still undetermined as we begin our work. We will take that into account,” House Appropriations Chairman Luke E. Torian (D-Prince William) said Friday. Told.
Trian said the House, Senate and governor's staff will begin meeting next week, then principals will meet after April 29. This will give elected officials “breathing space” and an opportunity to clear their schedules, he said.
Among the bills sent back to Youngkin to veto, sign, or allow to pass without a signature are:
virginia beach charter change
The House and Senate rejected Youngkin's amendment to change Virginia Beach's charter, but one of the bill's sponsors said the governor was trying to interfere with the city's autonomy. The state's most populous city will change the way it elects city council members in 2022, switching from a system of candidates running for every seat in the city to a system of 10 districts and one at-large mayor. The new plan creates the most diverse city council in Virginia Beach history.
But to become permanent, Youngkin's amendment would block changes to the charter unless the General Assembly approves them again next year. Advocates, including the NAACP, argue that the delay is unacceptable because the city is set to hold municipal elections this fall. Rep. Kelly K. Converse Fowler (D-Virginia Beach) questioned Wednesday why Youngkin would intervene, noting that the governor has always prioritized local wishes on charters over the past 30 years.
“The governor is trying to override the will of the people,” Converse Fowler said. The charter change passed the House of Representatives by the required two-thirds margin and was approved unanimously by the Senate.
The House and Senate also rejected Youngkin's amendments to a pair of bills aimed at ensuring people have access to contraceptives. His pair of identical bills, HB609 and SB237, would enshrine the right to obtain and use contraceptives into Virginia law. Yonkin proposed changing the bill to simply express Congress' sentiment that people have access to contraception under federal law, but birth control advocates argue that changing federal law would make it meaningless. did. “The governor basically watered down the entire bill and just rolled it into a bill.” [policy] ” said Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi (D-Chesterfield), the Senate bill's sponsor. Both the House and Senate simply “passed” the amendments, killing them without a vote.
Another identical bill, HB819 and SB238, would require health insurance plans to provide coverage for contraceptives. Yonkin proposed changing these bills to create an exception for sponsors of non-governmental programs who have religious or ethical objections to contraception. Rep. Candy Mandon King (D-Prince William), who sponsored the House version of the bill, said Yonkin's changes would “create a vague and broad exception to this bill that would actually provide access to contraceptives.” There is a possibility that the number of people will decrease.'' ” The House rejected Yonkin's changes by a vote of 15-84. The Senate rejected Yonkin's amendments to the bill on a party-line vote.
HB498 and SB225 are identical bills that would require school boards in the state to annually notify parents of their responsibilities for safely storing firearms in the home. Mr. Yonkin submitted two amendments to each. One bill would not become law unless both chambers re-enact it next year, and the other would require the state Department of Education to create a complete list of parental rights and responsibilities, from the right to be informed about sexual relationships. This is what I am asking you to do. Explicitly express in the classroom the responsibility to protect children from abuse. The Senate rejected both amendments on party-line votes. The House unanimously rejected the replication clause, with Speaker Scott ruling that the proposed study was unrelated to the bill and therefore could not be carried out.
