Virginia’s governor is again at odds with Democrats as he vetoes labor and gun reform

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This article was published 25/03/2025 (368 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed a slew of bills reforming labor and gun laws, blocking Democrats’ attempts to reintroduce legislation nearly identical to what they proposed unsuccessfully last year.

In addition to vetoing 158 bills, Youngkin signed roughly 600 and amended about 160 by the midnight Monday deadline, legislative records show. He also submitted 205 amendments to the budget bill, along with eight line-item vetoes.

Youngkin’s objections, which drew criticism from General Assembly Democrats, were not surprising. While the governor had not explicitly said what bills he would ax, he had suggested that he’d once again reject items he hadn’t previously supported.

“You can imagine that if I vetoed it last year, there’s a reasonable chance I will veto it again,” Youngkin said at a news conference earlier this week.

The bills Youngkin nixed would have helped create a recreational marijuana retail market in Virginia and boost the minimum hourly wage from $12 to $13.50 next year, then $15 the year after.

Another vetoed
measure would have halted the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms.

In revisiting legislation resurrected from 2024, he offered some of the same amendments he had last year. For instance, he again suggested that a proposed bill banning personal property taxes for the United Daughters of the Confederacy be taken up next year following a tax review.

The Democratic-led legislature is slated to be back in Richmond on April 2 to take up the governor’s vetoes and amendments. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell called Youngkin’s actions disappointing.

“I think there’s been a lot of talk amongst Conservatives lately about focusing on affordability, and that’s exactly what we did this session,” Surovell said. “The governor basically stuck a finger in an eye of every working Virginian with the vetoes he put out yesterday.”

Lawmakers would need a two-thirds supermajority to override Youngkin’s vetoes — an unlikely scenario given that Democrats have razor-thin majorities in the state Senate and House of Delegates.

Lawmakers only need a simple majority, however, to reject Youngkin’s amendments. Still, the governor gets the final say on any legislation that arrives at his desk for a signature after lawmakers meet next week.

Some other key actions taken by the governor include:

Labor reform

Youngkin blocked legislation that would have required employers to allow their workers to use sick days for both mental and physical health. In explaining his veto, the governor said the bill “would increase the cost of doing business in the Commonwealth and adversely impact our business climate.”

Youngkin also nixed
bills that would repeal a ban on collective bargaining by public employees in line with a 2020 law that extended that right to local government workers. The proposed shift to unionization, Youngkin said, lacked the necessary funding, “leaving agencies unprepared to manage the administrative and legal complexities involved.”

Energy battles

Some of the most heated debates during the legislative session were over green energy in Virginia, including solar panels. On Monday, Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have allowed local governments to require solar canopies for development projects. The governor also blocked a bill expanding facility requirements for a multifamily shared solar program.

Prescription drug affordability board

Last month with some bipartisan support, lawmakers passed legislation to create an independent prescription drug affordability board. The bill would have tasked the board with reviewing the affordability of prescription drug prices and setting cost ceilings within state-sponsored and -regulated health plans. Youngkin argued that the bill would limit patient access “to essential medication by prioritizing costs over medical necessity.”

Some success with campaign finance guardrails

Youngkin backed legislation prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal expenses. Lawmakers passed such a policy after declining to advance a similar measure last year. Virginia was one of the few states lacking such a ban.

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Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.