The General Assembly is half way through the session. The below article summarizes the progress of key legislation.
At the halfway point of Virginia’s 2024 General Assembly session, Democrats have used their majority power on both sides of the Capitol to pass bills to raise the minimum wage, ban newly made assault weapons, protect abortion access and allow recreational weed dispensaries.
All of those priorities are expected to win final passage in the weeks ahead, but they’re heading to an uncertain fate at the hands of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has not yet played a major role in the policymaking process.
With the governor pushing hard for a Northern Virginia sports arena deal, the story of the 2024 session could come down to whether Youngkin and Democratic leaders can strike a bargain that gives both sides some of what they want.
Some of that negotiating could be worked out through the state budget, which will take up more of legislators’ time in the session’s second half.