Richmond Roundup: April 17th Reconvene Session
We reviewed the Governor’s vetoes, amendments and the budget.
RICHMOND – The General Assembly completed its Reconvened Session this week, in which we considered the vetoes and amendments sent to us by Governor Youngkin.
We were also scheduled to complete our work on the two-year state budget, but it remains unfinished until we reconvene again on May 13th. When we came to Richmond, Governor Youngin had vetoed more than 100 bills passed by the Democratic majorities in both chambers
Many of these amendments were adopted, including HB 1491. This bill pertains to Phase I Utility; recovery of development costs associated with small modular nuclear facility. Given the strain on our energy system, this bill is a step in the right direction to maintaining energy independence.
Governor Youngkin attempted to compromise with the Democrats on several bad bills by making them slightly more palatable, but the original intentions of those bills were not something I could support. Rather than attempt to make a bad bill into a less bad law, I voted to send these bills back to the Governor in their original form in the hopes that he would veto them.
Among these bills were HB498, HB568, and HB812.
I am pleased to report that the House upheld all of the Governor’s vetoes, including all of the bills that would infringe on the rights of our Second Amendment. None of these questionable policy ideas will become law in the Commonwealth this year. However, it is a stark reminder that we are only one Governor away from all of these draconian policies passing into law.
It’s frustrating that we didn’t complete the biennial state budget, I am encouraged by the rapid movement toward a deal that happened this week. As of this past Sunday, I worried that Democrats had dug in on their position and were willing to shut down the state government to force the Governor to sign a budget laden with tax increases.
Republicans and Democrats both agreed that we were at an impasse on the budget, and the best way forward was to simply wipe the slate clean and begin again in a special session that will convene on May 13th. We still have significant differences over how we should spend our hard-earned tax dollars, but everyone agrees that we’re going to have to compromise to get this done.
I will keep you updated as the process moves forward.
