Democrat Majority Demands Tax Increases in Budget!
The battle over "neighborhood slot machines," parental rights, and a commonsense budget without tax increases will continue a little longer, and we will need your help!
The top storyline from Wednesday’s General Assembly Reconvene Session (a.k.a, “Veto Session”) was that the Democrat majority chose to hold the budget hostage and not vote on the Governor’s 230 amendments. In other words, Democrats are willing to risk shutting down Virginia’s government so they can raise taxes on many Virginians!
While the Governor’s amendments incorporated much of the spending priorities contained in the Democrat majority's final budget report, his amendments, among other things, eliminated all proposed tax increases, capped tuition increases at 3%, gave a 3% pay raise for teachers and state employees, restored funding for lab schools, and reinstated the Hyde language which would bring Virginia in line with the majority of states limiting taxpayer funding for abortions to only the narrow cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Nevertheless, the Democrat majority rejected his amendments for the primary reason of raising taxes.
There were of course some outlandish comments, notably by Delegate Candi Mundon King (D-Prince William), who said “someone said, Mr. Speaker, the Governor has a right to his opinions, well Mr. Speaker his opinions are killing us… We cannot wait for the Governor to get over his latest tantrum…as I say these words women are dying, and we cannot wait for the Governor to be the butt of late-night jokes again.” Once again, Delegate Mundon King makes absurd comments by accusing pro-life conservatives of killing women!
Delegate Bennet-Parker (D-Alexandria), commenting on some of Governor Youngkin’s vetoes, said his “vetoes make our Commonwealth less safe” and that the Governor isn’t interested in preventing gun violence.
Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper), who said this session debates had mostly been civil, provided a rebuke of the extreme partisan speeches this week. Delegate Freitas went on to point out that “if you don’t agree with the Democratic Party on their policies, it’s not because you have an honest disagreement with respect to process, it's not because you have an honest disagreement with what proper role of government is, it’s not because you have an honest disagreement with respect to how much the government should be constantly taking from the people who have earned it. It’s not that. It’s because you’re evil, you’re mean, you’re sexist, you’re bigoted, you’re racist, you’re the enemy, you don’t care about people, you want them to die, and on year nine, I just don’t care about the accusations anymore. I just don’t, because it has become so blatantly obvious to me that it is political posturing.” (Click the image below to listen to his comments. Go to the 11:42:22 mark.)
Legislators will return to Richmond May 13 to hold a special session to finish work on the budget in hopes of settling a deal by June 30 and avoiding a government shutdown. There will be plenty of political gamesmanship between the Democrat majority and the Governor, and everyone will be monitoring to see which side emerges on top. However, the more important question will be whether the hardworking Virginians will be winners.
In addition to agreeing on the budget, the Governor will now have to act on bills in which the General Assembly rejected his amendments. Of the 116 bills amended, we're closely monitoring the following eight bills that were rejected and returned to the Governor for his final action:
HB 781 (D-Herring) – Would include the phrase “birthing people” instead of “mothers” in a maternal health study bill, suggesting that even men can have babies.
HB 536 (D-Cole) changes the current bullying definition by specifically creating a special protection for students who are members of special groups (i.e., sexual orientation and gender identity).
HB 224 (D-Henson) would require teachers to receive mental health awareness training for youth populations that are at an elevated risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders, including those who "identify as LGBTQ+."
SB 238 (D-Hashmi) and HB 819 (D-Mundon King) would require all health insurance companies to cover the cost of contraceptive drugs and devices that include abortion causing drugs without any religious conscience protections.
HB 609 (D-Price) and SB 237 (D-Hashmi) creates a presumed “affirmative” right to contraceptive drugs and devices that can result in an abortion, and to sterilization procedures, without any religious protections for doctors or prescribers.
SB 212 (D-Rouse), which would allow for neighborhood slot machines in thousands of convenience stores, truck stops and restaurants. The Governor had issued several amendments to create additional guardrails.
As you can tell, the legislative session is far from over with many important bills before the Governor, and he will need to hear directly from you to veto these bills. Even if you have already submitted comments to the Governor urging him to veto these bills, please visit our Governor's Veto Page and ask him again! Your voice can make a difference.
