RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has taken action on the final batch of bills from the 2024 General Assembly Session.
Youngkin vetoed bills that would have established a person’s right to contraception in Virginia.
In his veto statement, Youngkin said, “As the issue continues to be deliberated by the
legislature, and recognizing the diverse religious, ethical, and moral beliefs of Virginians, any
contraception-related changes must be coupled with robust conscience clause protections for
providers and also must uphold the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning
their children’s upbringing and care.”
The bill’s author, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) previously told 8News that the bill was necessary after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called the right to have an abortion into question.
“We need to have laws in place that are going to afford effective protections for all individuals around critical private issues for reproduction.,” Hashmi told 8News in April.
Youngkin also vetoed a bill that would have stripped the United Daughters of the Confederacy of certain tax exemptions.
“Among these groups, some organizations have titles offensive in contemporary discourse, such as outdated references to the intellectually or developmentally disabled; some organizations reference political affiliations and engage in political contributions like the Ocean View Democratic and Social Club, and others are historical societies whose lineage is connected to contentious periods such as the Civil War, illustrated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy,” said Youngkin in his veto statement.
“It’s about who we are giving special privileges to and what they stood for. We know that the United Daughters of the Confederacy has pushed the narrative of the lost cause and we don’t need to support that in our tax code,” the bill’s author, Delegate Alex Askew told 8News in February.
Youngkin also vetoed a bill legalizing skill games in Virginia, however, that might not mean much. Both Youngkin and the General Assembly have agreed to keep discussing a path forward on skill games in the coming weeks.