Throughout the last few months people have been sure to tell me how they thought the so-called surplus Virginia enjoys ought to be spent – more money for education, more money for our beautiful state parks, more money for transportation projects, more money for human services like mental health, more money for healthcare, and the list goes on. I’ve consistently advised people that we will have to find a path forward that resolves the demand of the Governor for tax cuts with the need for funding other priorities. [Read more…]
2022 Session Convenes
The 2022 Session of the General Assembly convened on January 12th at noon. This is a year of great change as we inaugurate a new governor tomorrow, and there is a new majority in the House of Delegates. After the Democrats held the governor’s office for the past eight years, Republican Glenn Youngkin will succeed Ralph Northam. The Democrats held the majority in the House of Delegates for two years, and now the Republicans hold a slender 52-48 majority. The test of the session will be how well the slender Democratic majority in the Senate gets along with the slender Republican majority in the House, and how a governor, who has no previous experience in state government, folds into that mix. [Read more…]
Sine Die
In this most unusual year, the General Assembly adjourned sine die in the most unusual way. We adopted a procedural resolution to extend the 30-day session to the usual 46 days by having a special session the last couple of weeks. We finished our work late on Saturday, February 27, but we did not adjourn sine die until March 1. [Read more…]
Priorities
One week is all that remains between now and adjournment sine die of the 2020 Session. We are scheduled to adjourn on Saturday, March 7 by midnight. We have accomplished a lot this session, and I guess history will judge the effectiveness of our work. [Read more…]
Almost to Crossover
The 2019 Session has almost reached crossover, the point at which the Senate and House can only consider legislation introduced in the other chamber. While the date falls just past the midpoint of each session, it is considered halftime. The big issues remain unresolved.
Hundreds of bills have been discussed and have met their fates. For example, the ERA does not appear that it will pass although there was talk of resurrecting the legislation in the House. Many of the Governor’s gun safety proposals were rejected in both the House and the Senate. While many more conversations remain on the transportation bills, many of the big issues seem unresolved. The budget remains in the state of flux. [Read more…]