Virginia Legislature Reconvenes June 18 for Budget as Spanberger's 31 Vetoes Deepen Shutdown Risk
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 31
Virginia Legislature Reconvenes June 18 for Budget as Spanberger's 31 Vetoes Deepen Shutdown Risk
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 31
Virginia's House will return June 18 and the Senate on June 22 to finish a budget before a June 30 deadline that could trigger the state's first modern government shutdown.
The standoff has widened because Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed 31 bills, including measures on public-worker collective bargaining, cannabis sales and limits on ICE arrests near courthouses and polling places.
Budget talks also hinge on whether to end a data-center tax exemption that Democratic lawmakers say could raise billions for schools and housing; Spanberger opposes the move as harmful to economic development.
Democratic leaders say Spanberger raised objections too late for lawmakers to revise bills, and some are weighing whether to fold vetoed priorities into the budget — a tactic she called an abuse of process.
The clashes have left Spanberger squeezed between Republicans and her own party, with an April poll showing 47% approval and 46% disapproval after her 15-point win last November.
How will the veto of collective bargaining reshape the future of public sector work in Virginia?
Can a record number of legislative vetoes be a sign of responsible fiscal management?
What are the long-term economic consequences of Virginia’s massive data center tax exemptions?