Kayla Muñecas, Contributing Writer
The Virginia General Assembly’s special session to work out Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s amendments to pending legislation has come and gone with no finalized budget and the rejection of several of the governor’s recommendations.
Lawmakers reconvened for a high-stakes special session after struggling to reach an agreement on the state’s two-year budget in March.
Over 1,000 bills reached Spanberger’s desk. Of those, 962 were signed into law, 180 were amended and eight were vetoed by the governor.
Boards of visitors reforms
House Bill 1385 originally extended board member terms from four to six years, and required governing boards to implement shared governance policies where boards, faculty, staff and students would be able to contribute to decision-making.
The revised bill contains a more detailed section on academic freedom, and requires institutions to consult with faculty senates on major academic changes. The bill also emphasizes protection of professors’ free speech and academic freedoms.
Spanberger suggested the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia create work groups to establish shared governance policies.
The bill was one of the many the legislature passed by during the special session, meaning they did not accept the governor’s amendments. It may be revisited, but also risks a potential veto.
Public sector collective bargaining
House Bill 1263 aimed to reverse the state’s ban on collective bargaining for public workers. Spanberger recommended making it so local governments would have until 2030 to implement the legislation, according to a previous report by The CT.
The revisions have been met with resistance from unions and Democratic lawmakers, who argue they weaken the bill’s purpose of establishing meaningful bargaining rights for public employees.
Gun reforms
The General Assembly accepted several of Spanberger’s amendments to several firearm safety bills, including House Bill 1525, House Bill 1524 and Senate Bill 727.
The accepted amendments ban individuals from carrying certain semi-automatic and assault firearms in public spaces, make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for people under 21 to buy assault firearms, and implement new restrictions on transporting firearms.
Several other bills to change gun laws in the state came back with revisions, including the ban on the sale of assault weapons, which Spanberger amended to specify banned features and protect certain semi-automatic hunting shotguns.
Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, told VPM News the legislature flipped on the governor’s changes because “legislating is an ongoing process,” and that he is confident it will become law.
Face coverings
Senate Bill 352 restricted law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings while performing their duties. Officers who failed to comply could be demoted, suspended or face a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The legislature rejected the governor’s changes to the bill, including removing the Class 1 misdemeanor charge as a punishment, which lawmakers say fails to protect immigrant communities. Its House sponsor Del. Charlie Schmidt, D-Richmond, said both chambers believed her changes were too drastic.
“She had put in there changes to make it just a civil enforcement sort of civil liability for violations of the mask and identification law. We didn’t agree with that. We needed stronger protections for the community. She also took out the badge and ID portion which was very important to build trust in the community.”
Weed retail market
Spanberger’s amendments to House Bill 642, which would create a regulated retail marijuana market, were also rejected.
She suggested delaying the start date of the legal market from Jan. 1 to July 1, 2027 and introducing harsher criminal penalties and a lower possession limit.
Lawmakers said in a joint statement the proposal significantly altered the bill and failed to achieve its original goals, according to a previous report by The CT.
A press release from the governor’s office defends the revisions, claiming they prioritize consumer safety, and the market’s delay would “allow for additional time to implement a legal market safely and curb the illicit market.”
A final decision on the marijuana market is key to budget negotiations, as that revenue cannot be counted toward the budget if the bill is vetoed.
Data center tax exemptions
A central point of contention during the session was tax exemptions for data centers, which have been in place in Virginia since 2010.
Initially estimated to cost $1.5 million in revenue loss, reports show data centers have been exempted from over $1.9 billion in taxes in the last fiscal year.
Some lawmakers have called for repealing the exemption entirely. Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, has been among those arguing the amount of lost revenue is too significant.
Other lawmakers support the tax exemption. Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, said the state should be cautious about reversing commitments to companies that invested under the existing tax structure.
The divide has contributed to the ongoing budget stalemate, with lawmakers unable to finalize a two-year spending plan as the special session came to an end.
Former General Assembly intern Leah Baynes said the session reflects a shift in Virginia politics, especially under Spanberger. In response to what the session suggests about the state’s near political future, Baynes remains optimistic.
“It’s been going very strongly for Democrats. I know of a lot of bills that died under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin have almost gone straight through,” Baynes said. “We’re seeing bills that are very much bipartisan or nonpartisan getting the chance they deserve now.”
Virginia has until June 30, the end of the governmental fiscal year, to decide on legislation that impacts the budget, including through calling another special session.