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Within hours of issuing his "Common Ground" budget amendments, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed, signed or amended an unknown number of bills. (We’ve reached out to Youngkin’s office for confirmation on how many bill actions took place April 8.)
Minutes before the deadline struck, Youngkin's office sent a brief statement saying that he had completed action on 1,046 bills — signing 777, amending 116 and vetoing 153 — throughout the General Assembly session. The finalized list was not available, though VPM News has determined the governor signed at least 160, amended more than 80 and vetoed approximately 50 pieces of legislation on Monday by the action deadline: 11:59 p.m.
“As I said on the first day of this year’s legislative session, in the State of the Commonwealth address, every piece of legislation I have had the honor to sign into law as Governor has necessarily been bipartisan,” Youngkin said April 8. “And where there are differences in our approaches, I hope my amendments reflect the common ground we can find together. I want to thank every member of the General Assembly for their service to the Commonwealth and look forward to their return to Richmond next week as we work toward an on-time end to this year’s session.”
Similar to April 2’s wave of legislative actions, Youngkin's work began circulating on social media and through press releases from interest groups on Monday night — ahead of the 11:57 p.m. announcement from his office.
Unlike all other bill actions Youngkin took this session, his office did not provide a formal list of Monday’s signatures, amendments and vetoes, instead directing people back to Virginia’s Legislative Information System. Deadline night actions began trickling in after the deadline and were still appearing on the website the following day. (VPM News has reached out for confirmation, but hasn’t heard back as of April 18.)
VPM News will update this list to reflect bills our staff has confirmed as vetoed or signed.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
Vetoes
SB 14/HB 805: As VPM News reported last month, state Sen. Jeremy McPike's bill would make statewide a process by which school divisions can seek construction funds through ballot referendums permitting 1% sales tax increases. At present, each division must seek individual permission from the Legislature.
“You know, kids aren't Republicans or Democrats when they go to school. They're just kids in school,” McPike told VPM News. “Hopefully we can provide a school building that's not crumbling around them.”
McPike announced the veto on social media similarly: "When a kid goes to school, they’re not going to a Democratic or Republican school. They’re going to a school with a leaky roof."
SB 246/HB 1454: McPike also sponsored SB 246, while Del. Alfonso H. Lopez (D–Arlington) sponsored its House counterpart, where an extension would be granted to select forms of limited-duration identification. The legislation would have allowed the Department of Motor Vehicles to implement an extension when documents would be reissued.
In his veto statement, Youngkin said that the legislation “would enable a person permitted by the Federal government to be in the United States for a limited duration to obtain a Virginia Driver’s license for a full eight-year term even though their eligibility to be legally present here may have expired.”
SB 274/HB 570: This bill would establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board that would meet quarterly and conduct reviews of prescription drug pricing throughout the commonwealth.
State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D–Charlottesville) said in a brief social media message that it had been vetoed. Advocacy organizations Virginians for Affordable Medicine and Freedom Virginia issued statements condemning Youngkin’s veto within minutes of Deeds’ announcement.
As VPM News reported earlier this month, PDABs “have the ability to review medications and place upper-payment limits on as many as 12 drugs per year that it deems an affordability risk.” Many of its proponents include people with chronic conditions who must frequently purchase medications or supplies that may fluctuate in cost or are consistently high prices.
In its release, Virginians for Affordable Medicine noted that PDABs currently exist in eight states: Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Ohio, Colorado, Washington and Minnesota.
SB 428: This bill on ranked-choice voting would have clarified requirements for holding elections using the system at a locality level. The legislation was carried by state Sen. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (D–Henrico). In 2023, Arlington County became the first locality in the commonwealth to permanently use RCV in its elections, according to the Washington Post.
The governor vetoed VanValkenburg’s measure on Monday, saying it’s still a new practice. Historically, the method can be traced back to the 13th century — and during the 1850s, it became popular in Europe.
Last session, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that state Sen. Creigh Deeds floated a presidential primary–focused RCV bill. He later withdrew it from consideration after ELECT conveyed its logistical concerns.
SB 586/HB 398: State Sen. Stella G. Pekarsky (D–Fairfax) and Del. Delores L. McQuinn (D–Henrico) sponsored identical pieces of legislation that would have prohibited students in public elementary or secondary schools from being suspended, expelled or excluded from school attendance without “first considering at least one evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice.” The practices, including community service, mentoring, peer meditation and positive behavioral interventions, would have also required the Virginia Department of Education to evaluate the use and effectiveness of them.
In Youngkin's veto statement, he notes that “Virginia is in the midst of a school discipline crisis.” He goes on to add that 27 teachers at Charlottesville High School refused to come to school in November because of “a wave of classroom violence” that resulted in police being called to the school twice in one day.
Youngkin believes that for schools to be “safe places for young Virginians to learn and become active citizens, they must be safe.” He does not believe schools could be “safe” when schools are utilizing “restorative practices” instead of “suspending or otherwise disciplining students who are violent in school.”
HB 1264: In this legislation proposed by Del. Irene Shin (D–Fairfax) that had bipartisan support, fines, fees and court costs would’ve been made discretionary for juvenile traffic infractions.
Emily King, a senior policy analyst with the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis said that fines and fees are “unjust and particularly harm Black youth, families, and communities.”
In the governor’s veto statement, he says the bill “undermines public safety by sending the wrong message about accountability and responsibility among young offenders.”
HB 354: Del. Patrick Hope (D–Arlington) introduced this legislation to direct the Board of Health to adopt regulations that would govern public swimming pools and other recreational water facilities, including facilities “operated in conjunction with a tourist facility or health spa.” In the governor’s veto statement, Youngkin deemed the legislation “unnecessary” because under current law, the Department of Health regulates water quality in certain facilities. He did not mention how this has been enforced.
HB 335: Del. Debra D. Gardner (D–Chesterfield)’s legislation would have directed Virginia’s Department of Labor and Industry to put together a work group that would study options to increase wages for Virginia’s tipped employees who receive minimum wage. It would also have studied any circumstances related to wage theft, or any payment inequalities. It also would’ve amended penalty provisions that were related to remedies by employees and penalties for employers who are in violation of minimum wage requirements.
In Youngkin’s veto statement, he states that “in other jurisdictions that have increased tipped minimum wages, many tipped workers have seen a decrease in earnings,” without mentioning examples of where this has occurred.
HB 26: Del. David A. Reid (D–Loudoun)’s legislation would have expanded what forms of identification would be accepted for voting. Under the bill, an identification card issued by any “private entity that is licensed or certified” by the Department of Health, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance Services or the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services that has a picture of the voter on it would be able to be used at the polls.
The bill received bipartisan support, and would have also allowed senior citizens to vote by using their senior living facility IDs, making it easier for seniors to vote.
Youngkin vetoed that legislation, stating that “expanding this list presents additional complexities for poll workers in discerning which forms of identification are acceptable.” He also said that Virginia Voter Photo Identification Cards can be issued to eligible voters for free, but did not expand on how people could get one.
Vetoed bills may still be revived by the General Assembly when it reconvenes on April 17. However, each chamber would have to re-pass the bills on two-thirds majorities — which would also require bipartisan buy-in. (Democrats maintain one-seat leads in the House and Senate.)
Signed into law
The governor also signed several bills Monday, some of which were reflected in the state's legislative filing system ahead of the 11:59 p.m. deadline. As the new laws trickle in, we’ll update this section with what is impacting Virginians starting later this year.
New state laws, unless otherwise noted, typically take effect on July 1.
SB 39/HB 27: This bill establishes new protocols and requirements for kinship foster care placements, child safety and caregiver assessments. Those new rules will be applied by local social services departments when placing children with relatives or other proposed caregivers.
As VPM News reported in January, supporters of the bills said it would add guardrails to a system where some parents and guardians felt like their children had been abducted by the state.
SB 116/HB 25: Last year’s annual sales tax holiday didn’t happen during its usual August window because lawmakers failed to introduce bills during the regular General Assembly session and the special session that would keep it in play. Though it did ultimately occur in October, the sales tax holiday is returning to the summer beginning next year.
Legislation from state Sen. L. Louise Lucas and Del. David Reid establishes Virginia’s sales tax holiday during the first full weekend in August, starting July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2030. According to Virginia Tax, the sales tax–free items include school supplies, clothing and emergency preparedness supplies.
SB 180/SB 400/SB 657/SB 724/HB 1349: This series of bills all focused on streamlining Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority rules and regulations on serving mixed alcoholic beverages at performing arts or sports facilities, as well as on-and-off premises wine and beer licenses for concessions at performing arts facilities.
Beginning July 1, a new annual mixed beverage license will be created for sports facilities across the commonwealth.
SB 324: This legislation directs Virginia's Freedom of Information Act Advisory Council to review its fee scheduling and processing and present a report by December. Changes to state code based on the report's findings will have to be taken up in 2025's session.
SB 336: This bill permits the placement of speed enforcement cameras at designated high-risk intersections — notably, places where a traffic fatality has occurred since Jan. 1, 2014 — by local or state law enforcement agencies.
SB 391/HB 149: These identical pieces of legislation were carried by Sen. Stella Pekarsky and Del. Dan Helmer (both D–Fairfax) to amend a provision in the Virginia Constitution allowing employers to discriminate against employees who lawfully use medicinal cannabis oil. According to the full text, “No employer shall discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee for such employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil under the laws of the Commonwealth,” as long as the employee has written certification issued by a medical professional as part of their treatment plan, or to help ease their symptoms.
SB 453: Where applicable, the cost of DMV-required emissions inspections for motor vehicles will now cap at $30, a $2 increase.
HB 474: The Restroom Access Act will permit retail customers with medical conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome to use employee toilets upon request in urgent situations.
SB 536/HB 1261: The legislation put forth by state Sen. Lamont Bagby (D–Richmond) and Del. Kathy Tran (D–Fairfax) would provide a process for unemployment overpayments to be waived, if a person is able to demonstrate financial hardship. A similar waiver to this bill existed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Virginia Employment Commission's authority to grant them had expired in 2022.
Read more VPM News coverage about the legislation from January, when the bills were originally introduced.
SB 546/HB 1242: Though it was one of the first planned pieces of legislation Youngkin announced in December, these identical bills from Richmond-area lawmakers were among Youngkin’s deadline-night signatures.
The new law amends state code on emergency custody orders, temporary detention orders and evaluation procedures. It also permits a family member or legal guardian to be present for support and decision making assistance, when permitted by the person being evaluated and medical professionals.
They are collectively known as Irvo’s Law after Irvo Otieno, a Henrico County man who was killed in police custody during a mental health crisis in March 2023. His mother, Caroline Ouko, has said she was barred from seeing Otieno during his original emergency custody order in Henrico County — an action she maintains led to his death at Central State Hospital. Several deputies are facing criminal charges.
Otieno’s surviving family received an $8.5 million civil settlement with the commonwealth, Henrico County and the county sheriff’s office in September, as reported by the Washington Post. The settlement did not include any admissions of liability from the state or county.
SB 547/HB 1246: Carried by state Sen. Lamont Bagby and Del. Rodney Willett (D–Henrico), these require Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish training standards for law enforcement officials on how to communicate with people who have an intellectual or developmental disability, such as autism spectrum disorder, by the start of 2027.
These standards must include learning how to recognize when someone may have ASD, crisis prevention, de-escalation techniques, assistive tools or technology to help with communication, and community resources for the autism community on future crisis prevention. Officers employed before July 1 of this year have until July 1, 2028, to complete the future training standards.
SB 598: Marriage and divorce name changes will be recorded for men by local clerks. Previously, clerks only recorded the name changes of women who married and divorced.
SB 626/HB 1269: Once July 1 rolls around, more people will be eligible to apply for jobs to help provide substance abuse care and mental health services. In the Senate, this legislation was carried by Sen. Todd Pillion (R–Abingdon), while its House counterpart was carried by Del. Marcia “Cia” Price (D–Newport News). The legislation will allow Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, along with substance abuse or mental health service providers, community services boards and behavioral health authorities to hire job applicants who had previously been convicted of “certain barrier crimes of misdemeanor assault and battery or involving controlled substances” four or more years ago.
SB 627/HB 1087: These bills create the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund, which aims to expand dual enrollment education options for Virginia’s high schoolers. The Virginia Department of Education and Virginia Community College System must establish a workgroup between July 1 and Nov. 1 of this year to recommend steps that will incorporate "a career and technical education program of coursework" for the program.
SB 707: Carried by state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D–Loudoun), SB 707 permits public secondary schools to establish student organizations focused on career and technical education — even if the schools or divisions don't offer CTE courses.
HB 994: Virginia's child marriage loophole will officially close later this year. The exception, which permits emancipated minors between the ages of 16 and 18 to marry, has been in place since 2016. Prior to that, the commonwealth permitted marriages for children between ages 16 and 18 with parental consent — and under age 16 if at least one party was pregnant and a parent or guardian consented.
Proponents of this impending law, carried by Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D–Oakton), have argued that emancipation of a minor does not fully remove a parent’s or guardian’s influence in their lives.
“It didn’t matter if I was 15 or 17, because my parents would have done or had me do whatever was necessary to get me married,” Brigitte Combs, a self-identified child marriage survivor, told the Senate courts committee in February. “With all due respect, does anyone here actually think a vulnerable young person in fear of their parents or even God himself is going to protest?”
Read more VPM News coverage of the legislation from February, while it was still being fine-tuned, and after its full passage in late March.
HB 1221: Students in grades four through eight who take health classes in Virginia can now have education about menstruation. Under the legislation put forth by Del. Holly Seibold (D–Fairfax), school boards are permitted to “provide a program of instruction on menstrual education” that the board deems appropriate as part of its curriculum.
HB 1354: Cat declawing will soon be illegal in Virginia! Except "as necessary for a therapeutic purpose" — which means when the declawing resolves an infection, disease, injury or other condition that jeopardizes a cat's health. It very specifically does not mean "any action performed for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons or reasons of convenience in the keeping or handling of a cat," according to the legislation’s text.
HB 1365: Transcript withholdings from colleges for students who owe minor debts will no longer prevent them from applying for jobs, mortgages or other major life milestones that require proof of higher education or matriculation.
As VPM News reported last month, Del. Betsy Carr’s (D–Richmond) legislation will require higher education institutions to release transcripts directly to students if they owe less than $500 — or $1,000 for Pell grant recipients.
Staff reporter Megan Pauly also covered the failed 2022 and 2023 attempts at changing direct-to-school debt rules in the award-winning Dreams Deferred series.
Patrick Larsen and Ian M. Stewart contributed reporting.
