After setting a record for vetoes,
Gov. Glenn Youngkin added to his score Wednesday when the
General Assembly failed to overturn his vetoes on cannabis, minimum wage increases and capping medication prices. The legislature also sustained his vetoes of a bill that would allow localities to levy a 1% sales tax surcharge to fund school construction if voters approve and measures to bar sales of assault-style weapons.
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, listens to announcements Wednesday at the state Capitol. In all, legislators could not command the two-thirds vote needed to overturn any gubernatorial veto - but Democratic legislators who passed the measures, in some cases with at least some GOP support, are already gearing up to make these a campaign issue in this year’s elections for governor and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates.
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The Senate closed out Wednesday's marathon veto session after 8:30 p.m. Youngkin said in a brief statement: "I am grateful to all our legislators, who dedicate their time and energy to serving the people of Virginia. Over the next 30 days I will review and take final action on the bills and budget amendments that have been sent back to my desk." In a move not seen for many years, the House of Delegates, after rejecting Youngkin's amendments on a handful of bills, voted to enact the measures by margins larger than the supermajority needed to override a veto – a move that meant the bills would become law after the Senate went along. Democrats' arguments against Youngkin's vetoes and his proposals to amend bills repeatedly echoed the phrase that Virginia Republicans were "terrified to oppose" President Donald Trump. Republicans, meanwhile are poised to argue that a Democratic House majority and a Democratic governor would enact measures on gun control and culture war issues that many Virginians oppose.
Cannabis market
Several bills Youngkin vetoed were replays of last year, including
Senate Bill 970 and
House Bill 2485 , which would have created a regulated market for legal sale of marijuana. Democrats said they wanted to keep the issue before the public to build support for the change, adding that a legal market is likely to become an issue in the fall. But Youngkin changed his mind on measures (
Senate Bill 936 and House Bill
2252 ) that would allow judges to shorten probation periods when individuals comply with specific goals.
Sen. Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake, looks towards a screen displaying vote results at the state Capitol. He vetoed this idea last year, when two liberal Democrats sponsored the measure. This year, with the same measure now sponsored by conservative state Sen. Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake, and Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, he said he supported the basic idea and proposed some limited changes. The General Assembly accepted these, clearing the way for the measure to go into law.
Contraception
Neither Youngkin nor General Assembly Democrats changed their minds on bills to ensure Virginians have access to contraception (
Senate Bill 1105 and
House Bill 1716 ). Youngkin wanted a revision that advocates said would gut the bills. Youngkin wanted an exemption for doctors, pharmacists and clinics that object to contraception for religious reasons. He also sought to remove the bills’ enforcement provisions. The legislature also failed to overturn vetoes of several bills that Youngkin said were his top priority to stop because they burdened business. These included
House Bill 1928 , which would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour from $12.41. "This just a question of math," said Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, arguing that raising the minimum wage would cost some Virginians their jobs. But House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, fired back. After mentioning her father's struggles to pay bills, she said Republican opponents of a minimum wage increase "don't understand how many families are living ... we are fighting to make sure parents can pay the water bill, to make sure parents can afford groceries. The House also sustained Youngkin's veto of
House Bill 2531 , which would have set up system to partially reimburse Virginians who need to stay away from work for a limited time to care for a family, the idea is similar to the unemployment compensation that covers some wages when an employee is put on furlough or is laid off. "We want to give people enough space to care for their families," said Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, the bill's sponsor, arguing that the measure would boost Virginia's effort to support its workforce development efforts. The House failed to overturn Youngkin’s veto of
House Bill 1724 , which would set up a state Prescription Drug Affordability Board empowered to cap medication prices; while the Senate sustained his veto of
Senate Bill 1252 , which aimed to ban practices some lenders use to get around Virginia’s cap on payday and car-title loans. "While safe and affordable housing may not be an issue the wealthy Governor is worried about, I can assure him that for the residents of the 85th District and people across the Commonwealth, these are very real, very immediate concerns," Price said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, speaks on the Senate floor Wednesday during the veto session at the state Capitol. The General Assembly accepted Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s rewrite of his bill dealing with dealers who sell a fatal overdose. The General Assembly accepted Youngkin’s rewrite of
Senate Bill 746 , which started the session as a third effort to say drug dealers who sell a fatal overdose can be charged with felony homicide – second degree murder – but that the House rewrote to say the charge should be involuntary manslaughter. Youngkin’s amendment said the crime should be felony homicide.
Photos: Thousands gather in Richmond for March for Life in anti-abortion demonstration
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears adjusts an American flag before speaking at a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square on Wednesday. Demonstrators participate in the March for Life near the state Capitol in Richmond on Wednesday. Demonstrators participate in the March for Life on Wednesday near the state Capitol in downtown Richmond. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, participates in the March for Life on Wednesday in downtown Richmond. In front, students from Liberty University, a Christian school based in Lynchburg, hold the banner. Demonstrators march down Broad Street during the March for Life in downtown Richmond on Wednesday. Earlier, at the Bell Tower, speakers raised concerns about a proposed state constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights. A demonstrator holds a sign during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square in Richmond, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. A demonstrator yells during the March for Life on Wednesday. A demonstrator writes on a sign during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. A young person attends a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. “We stand for life, and how can it ever be wrong to stand for life?” Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said Wednesday at a rally before the Virginia March for Life on Capitol Square. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, begins the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Children hold up signs in front of the Virginia State Capitol building during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears speaks at a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square on Wednesday. Earle-Sears says her campaign raised $3.1 million in the first quarter of 2025. Children hold up signs in front of the Virginia State Capitol building during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Elizabeth Radel holds her hand over her heart during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Demonstrators participate in the March for Life, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears speaks at a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Demonstrators pray during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Brianna Dickson and Heidi, 5, attend a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. On Wednesday former Del. Dave LaRock collects signatures during a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square. LaRock said he did not gather the 10,000 signatures he needed to seek the GOP nomination for governor in the June 17 primary. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, participates in the March for Life on Wednesday. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, participates in the March for Life, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, participates in the March for Life, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears adjusts an American flag before speaking at a rally before the March for Life at Capitol Square, Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
