With the last two weeks of session finally upon us in Richmond, the Senate and House are hard at work. More than 400 bills have passed through both chambers, and more than 700 are still under consideration. In the waning days of the session, the bills passed by the Senate and House will be transmitted to Governor Youngkin.
The governor has provided little in the way of a preview of what legislative actions he may take, including whether he will sign, amend, or veto bills that would increase the minimum wage and better protect communities from gun violence. Like most Virginians, I hope Governor Youngkin will allow these important bills to become law this year.
As part of the legislative process, the Governor of Virginia can take four actions on bills that reach their desk:
* Sign: Legislation that is signed into law by the governor will go into effect on the next July 1st, unless otherwise provided for in the bill.
* Veto: When a governor vetoes a bill, it is transmitted back to the legislative chamber in which it was introduced. That chamber, whether the Senate or the House, may vote to approve, or reject, a veto from the governor by a simple majority vote in both chambers. At least two-thirds of the members elected to a given chamber can vote to enact a bill notwithstanding a veto from a governor (a.k.a., an override of the veto). In the Senate, this requires at least 27 Senators; in the House, at least 67 votes are required. Because of the high threshold voting requirement, and the near evenly-divided General Assembly, overrides of gubernatorial vetoes are rare in recent Virginia history.
* Amend: If a governor wants to change legislation that has reached his desk, they can propose an amendment to that bill. If they so choose, the bill is then transmitted back to the legislative chamber in which it was introduced. That chamber, whether the Senate or the House, may vote to approve or reject the proposed amendment from the governor by a simple majority vote. If the amendment is rejected, the House and Senate can also vote to pass the underlying legislation notwithstanding the objection, or amendment, of the governor. Such an action requires approval of at least two-thirds of the members elected to each legislative chamber, akin to a veto override.
* Take No Action: Though historically rare, the Governor of Virginia need not sign a bill in order for it to become law. As a matter of fact, any bill sent to the governor’s desk will become law if it is not acted on.
As the work of the 2024 session continues towards its end point, please keep in mind that the final step in the process is the governor, who must take action — or take no action — on all bills within 30 days of adjournment of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly will then reconvene on April 17 to vote on any vetoes and amendments proposed by Governor Youngkin. I look forward to updating you further on these and other bills as we move toward the end of the legislative session.
It is my continued honor to serve the residents of the 39th Senate District.