Gov. Youngkin signs 700 bills, vetoes 26

RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) - Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has completed work on legislation the General Assembly passed earlier this year.

He signed more than 700 bills, amended more than 100 and vetoed 26 before the deadline at midnight Monday.

The bills he signed included legislation that provides protections for animals, bills that shine more light on decisions by the Virginia Parole Board, and a measure that outlawed a dangerous vehicle modification known as the Carolina Squat.

And most of the amendments Youngkin offered, says Virginia Tech Professor and WDBJ7 Political Analyst Bob Denton, were relatively minor tweaks of bills that passed with bipartisan support.

“There’s 100 he’s certainly offering some amendments, and saying ‘okay there may be room for us to agree on.’ And some of those I would anticipate would also get through both houses, perhaps,” Denton said.

But Democrats said the Governor’s vetoes are a different story.

In a news release Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Virginia said the Governor had “sabotaged the bipartisan work of legislators instead of signing meaningful and productive legislation.”

“There’s always some degree of politics, but I really think this Governor is a bit more philosophical, certainly taking a fine tooth comb, looking at the issues and what he campaigned on,” Denton said. “But yes, of course, there’s always politics within the legislative process itself.”

What’s left, Denton notes, is the battle over the state budget.

It appears the House and Senate are still at odds, with no certainty on when lawmakers might return to finalize the two-year spending plan.

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