Governor Glenn Youngkin faces a deadline until the end of this week to act on a significant number of bills that the Democratic-controlled General Assembly swiftly forwarded to his desk. With until 11:59 p.m.
Friday to make decisions, Youngkin must address over 80 bills covering a range of issues, including the preservation of same-sex marriage, reinstating Virginia’s participation in the multi-state ERIC voter roll maintenance program, prohibiting legacy admissions preferences at public colleges and universities, and mandating local school boards to educate parents on the importance of safe gun storage.
Democratic leaders emphasized that expediting the delivery of these bills to the governor’s office will compel Youngkin to take a clear stance on matters he has previously avoided during his tenure.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell of Fairfax noted that Youngkin previously benefited from a Republican-controlled House that obstructed many legislative initiatives from the Senate.
Surovell anticipates that the coming week will reveal Youngkin’s positions, stating, “I think the next seven days are going to say a lot about the next two years.”
Typically, governors have 30 days to review legislation passed by the General Assembly. However, the timeframe varies based on when bills are formally transmitted from the legislative branch to the executive branch.
If bills are sent to the governor before the final week of the session, a shorter, seven-day deadline applies. As the legislature is set to adjourn on Saturday, time is of the essence for Youngkin to weigh in on these key legislative measures.
