Week Nine: It’s a wrap!

The General Assembly finished *most* of their work yesterday, but were unfortunately unable to come to an agreement on the biggest piece of legislation—the budget; and so they will have to come back for a special session after they have finalized negotiations on that.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK, Senator Stanley reads from the resolution drafted by Senate pages for their graduation ceremony, in which they dish the dirt:  “Senator Reeves watches cat videos and does a lot of Second Amendment shopping…Senator Surovell’s red suit is un poco brilliante…senators use their cell phones more than we do…the Senate of Virginia loves endless green sheets, and paper in general…We the class of Big Finch [named for Page Program Director Bladen Finch] will gladly pledge allegiance to the flag but NOT to the House!

Long overdue wins

Lots of important bills that have passed before but were vetoed by Youngkin finally have a good chance to becoming law:

For workers:

• Completing the minimum wage increases begun in 2020 (HB1-Ward and SB1-Lucas)
• Paid family medical leave (HB1207-Sewell and SB2-Boysko)
• Public sector collective bargaining (HB1263-Tran and SB378-Surovell)

For gun violence prevention:

• Ban on purchasing assault weapons and high-capacity magazines (HB217-Helmer and SB749-Salim)
• Ban on “ghost guns” (HB40-Simon and SB323-Ebbin)
• Close boyfriend loophole (HB19-McClure and SB160-Perry)
• Firearm industry liability (HB21-Helmer and SB27-Carroll Foy)

Affordability, clean energy and consumers:

• Prescription Drug Affordability Board (HB483-Delaney and SB271-Deeds)
• Rejoin RGGI (HB397-Herring and SB802-Locke)
• Class action lawsuits (HB449-Simon and SB229-Surovell)
• Increase waiting period before beginning eviction (HB15-Price and SB48-Rouse)
• Clean Energy Innovation Bank (HB1444-Lopez and SB225-Surovell)
• Affordable housing on property owned by religious organizations (HB1279-Cole, JG and SB388-McPike)

Other:

• Right to obtain contraception (HB6-Price and SB596-Carroll Foy)
• Marijuana adult recreational market (HB642-Krizek and SB542-Aird)
• Repeal commonlaw crime of suicide (HB43-Simon)
• End Confederate tax breaks (HB167-Askew) and license plates (HB1344-Helmer) and songs (SB801-Ebbin)

Timely responses

In addition to bills with long histories, there were some new bills that addressed problems of the moment we’re in.

• Responding to MN deaths, restrictions on ICE agreements with local law enforcement (HB1441-Lopez and SB783-Salim)
• Task Force to assess VMI’s response to 2021 SCHEV recommendations and how to further distance VMI from the Lost Cause (HB1377-Helmer)
• Allowing newly-developed small-scale “balcony” solar panels (HB395-Krizek and SB250-Surovell)
• Limiting other states’ National Guard presence in Virginia (SB337-Perry) and deployment of the Virginia National Guard at elections (HB286-Helmer)

Missed opportunities

With a Democratic trifecta, there were high hopes for some progressive policies, but between a tight budget due to the impacts of federal cuts, and a general appetite to rock the boat a little less, these failed.

• New millionaires income tax bracket (HB188-Convirs-Fowler; HB1074-Hernandez and HB979-Watts)
• School construction local tax referendum [currently in Senate budget] (HB334-Rasoul; HB1156-Hodges; SB66-McPike; and SB607-Lucas)
• Limits on campaign contributions (SB584-Salim) and corporate campaign contribution ban (HB1447-Glass)
• Child tax credit (HB1004-Tran and SB268-New Craig)