RICHMOND, Va. — By Monday night, Virginia lawmakers heard and debated hundreds of bills on the day before a pivotal Crossover Day, marking the unofficial halfway mark of the 2024 legislative session.
February 13 is the deadline for bills to make it out of their respective lawmaking chambers if they hope to become law. Bills that did not pass at least a second reading by the end of Monday's floor session died, before they are crossed over to the other lawmaking chamber Tuesday.
"It's like the last train leaving the station," Old Dominion University Political Science professor Jesse Richman said about the process.
For weeks, Democrats have played to their majority in both chambers by passing progressive measures related to gun safety measures, as well as other initiatives like increasing the state's base minimum wage rate.
With Virginia needing a two-thirds majority to override Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's potential veto, many of the already passed pieces of legislation that were approved along hard party lines may find themselves stopped at the Governor's desk.
"[Minimum wage] sends a message, does it get signed by governor? Unlikely, probably not because of the unified republican opposition, it’s a messaging thing. I expect the Governor will use the veto pen this session more than last time when we had opposing chambers," Richman said.
A bill to legalize recreational marijuana sales by 2025 advanced by a 52-48 vote in the House. Republican lawmakers who voted "No" expressed that not voting yes didn't necessarily mean they disapproved of the topic overall, but that they may not have sided with the specific provisions and language of this bill.
“I want our kids to be as safe as possible, and I believe having a safe retail market is the best way to do that," Republican Delegate from Chesterfield Carrie Coyner said.
Democrats also brought to the House floor a vote on an abortion-related bill, that dealt with public funds being used for abortion services in the state. Democratic lawmakers alleged the bill's language attacked accommodations for cases of rape and incest. Lawmakers on the GOP side argued the bill as originally written was not the intent of the lawmaker's legislative goal, and called the forced vote a sign of political messaging.
On the Senate side, Portsmouth State Sen. Louise Lucas and chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee began the day by announcing bills to look into Governor Youngkin's proposed Northern Virginia arena would not be docketed.
"Once we open the tap of financing giveaway for billionaires, we open the door for future governors to ask for similar treatment," Sen. Lucas said.