Youngkin vetoes recreational weed, paid sick leave and minimum wage hike
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is staying true to his vetoer reputation.
The big picture: With 157 vetoes so far this year, Youngkin has already rejected more bills than every other Virginia governor in the past 30 years.
For comparison, former Gov. Ralph Northam vetoed 58 bills in his four-year term. But he was also a Democrat dealing with a majority Democratic legislature.
Between the lines: Vetoed bills can still make a comeback in the legislature, but that requires bipartisan support. Democrats don't have a two-thirds majority vote to override a veto.
The General Assembly is taking up Youngkin's budget and bill amendments on April 2, which means more vetoes are likely on the way if lawmakers don't budge.
These are a few Youngkin said "no" to this week:
His repeat vetoes
🍃 A legal retail weed market with sales starting in May 2026. He said he wants to focus more on enforcement.
🔍 A bill removing weed consumption as grounds for a parent being denied custody or visitation of their kids.
👨⚖️ The chance at modified sentences for people incarcerated for some marijuana-related felony offenses.
🔫 A five-day waiting period for buying a gun so the dealer can check criminal history.
↗️ Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027.
🤝 Lifting the ban on collective bargaining for public employees.
💊 The creation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board.
🤒 Paid sick leave for all Virginia workers.
Education
🧠 A bill to require the state Department of Education to create and provide school board guidance on policies for "culturally responsive and language-appropriate" mental health support for students.
Youngkin said"cultural responsiveness could introduce subjective and divisive criteria into the schools" and conflict with federal orders.
🚌 Allowing all localities to add a local sales and use tax and have the revenue from it go toward school construction projects, if voters agreed to it.
🍽️ A proposal for school boards to pay the total unpaid school meal balances at the end of the year.
📚 Directing a task force to look at the effect of absenteeism on local school systems.
Food and drink
💧 A proposal requiring any place that sells alcohol to make sure free water is available upon request.
Youngkin said most establishments already do this and this would increase costs for businesses.
Henrico casino
🎰 Youngkin vetoed language that would've required Henrico residents to vote on a new Rosie's Gaming Emporium before it could be built near them, resulting in a fiery response from the county.
"Henrico County is profoundly disappointed by the governor's decision to remove voters from having a direct say in whether historical horse racing slot machine operators, such as Rosie's, should operate in their backyards," officials wrote.
Jails
🌡️ This proposal would have required the Department of Corrections to keep state correctional facilities at no less than 65 degrees and no greater than 80 degrees.
Weapons
🏥 A push to make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to have a weapon inside a hospital that offers mental health services.
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