All of Youngkin’s vetoes stand, but some amendments rejected

All of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s vetoes stood this week, but lawmakers rejected some of his proposed amendments to assembly-passed legislation during a one-day reconvened session in which they addressed all of his actions.

The governor vetoed 26 bills passed by the legislature. Although Democratic lawmakers challenged many of his vetoes, they failed to garner two-thirds support in the chambers, which would be necessary to override them. Republicans hold a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates and the Senate has a narrow 21-19 Democratic majority.

Some of the legislation blocked by the vetoes included bills that would have reduced the statute of limitations for medical debt, bills that would have allowed counties to shut down rental units that aren’t up to code and bills that would have prohibited insurance companies from raising premiums for tobacco users.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, alleged some of these were “petty, political vetoes,” which she claimed were meant to get back at Democrats. She said the vetoes took the side of slumlords, insurance companies and collection agencies and put profit before “politics of the people.”

Republicans largely stood by the vetoes and defended the governor’s justifications.

Del. Michael Webert, R-Marshall, said House Bill 573, which addressed medical debt, could have created some confusion and that the language was not clear enough to ensure it would only apply to medical debt. Del. Jay Leftwich, R-Abingdon, argued that the rental unit bill was duplicative because renters can already sue landlords. Some Republican lawmakers argued that the prohibition on higher premiums for tobacco users would have increased healthcare costs for those who do not use tobacco products because insurance companies would need to recover costs.

Some Democratic lawmakers contended those claims, arguing the medical debt bill was clear and properly vetted and the rental bill would have established a better safeguard for renters who do not have access to a lawyer or have a firm enough grasp on the legal process to know their options. Many of them fought back against the claim that the tobacco bill would have increased insurance costs for non-users. Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, said the Joint Commission on Healthcare found that it would lower everyone’s premiums because it would increase the number of insured tobacco users, some of whom forgo medical insurance because of the higher costs.

Although Democrats tried to overturn the vetoes, they could not garner the two-thirds votes necessary, with many failing along party lines.

The governor’s technical amendments received approval from lawmakers, but some amendments that sought substantial changes to the bills, did not receive enough votes for adoption. Lawmakers needed a majority support to approve the governor’s amendments.

Lawmakers rejected one proposed amendment to Senate Bill 46, which is a bill that intends to limit the scope of the executive branch’s authority during a health emergency. The rejected amendment would have required that any civilian who challenges an order petition the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond. By rejecting the amendment, the bill would allow the person to file a lawsuit anywhere in the state.

The Senate also voted to reject an amendment to legislation, which would have required the Loudoun County School Board to hold an election for all nine seats this November.

Youngkin has the authority to either sign or veto bills in which his amendments were partially or entirely rejected.