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Senate votes on a memorial resolution to honor Paul Ebert, a PWC prosecutor who sent more people to death row than anyone in VA, and who 4th Circuit justices said engaged in actions "abhorrent to the judicial process," and "eschewing the Constitution, [and] ethical strictures."

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Now another GOP senator asking for clarification on the implementation of the assault weapon ban bill, which this governor's amendment delaying implementation of the open carry bill has nothing to do with, but even if it did, delaying implementation would help to get answers. 🤦🏻‍♀️

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Additionally, as @ssurovell.bsky.social points out, DeSteph is talking about the wrong underlying gun bill (public open carry vs assault ban). And as @jeremymcpike.bsky.social points out, a yea vote delays the law from taking effect. There isn't a repeal up for discussion.

Sen DeSteph complaining on Senate floor right now that laws have to be interpreted by courts. 🤡

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Ultimately only a handful of senator convinced to vote against this amendment allowing data centers to use evaporative cooling.

Voting board shows 28 yeas and 10 nays on amendment

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Interesting point though acknowledged by Sen Stuart: rejecting this amendment would send it back to the Governor, who could line veto the underlying data center water conservation language altogether.

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Senate taking amendments up one by one now. Unanimous on 3 & 4, partisan vote on #1, some GOP opposition to #2. Sens Stuart & Roem argue against amendment #5 allowing data centers to use evaporative (swamp) cooling, undermining water conservation measure of conference report.

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House GOP vote nay on Governor's budget amendment #1 ($ for Dept of Elex for ballot referenda). Some GOP vote nay on #2 (menhaden research funding), #6 (to add utility co-ops to RGGI eligibility), #7 (law enf. face covering clarification), 9, 10.

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"Unusually unloquacious" senators have no points of personal privilege today and are now waiting around for the House to take up the budget.

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Irregular invocations in both the House and the Senate today: the House because the pastor fled the chamber before the Delegate who'd invited him even had a chance to make an introduction; the Senate replacing an invited religious leader invocation with a moment of silent prayer.

Senate Rules subcommittee proposes the Senate adopt for next session the following bill limit: 15 bills per senator, plus 5 from among: early bird submissions (by August), legislative commission bills and/or governor's requests. Full Rules adopts the proposal.

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House accepts conference report on budget by a 71-22 vote. Both chambers now in recess until they're called back into session (with notice).

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Del McNamara giving floor speech complaining about how much more this year's budget requires in revenues than last year's. So I guess he's pretty pissed at the Trump administration for passing along billions of costs in Medicaid and SNAP and CHIP plans to the states.

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Poor Del @katrinacallsen.com timing is rough, presenting a resolution commending a giant peach grown on an Albemarle farm b/w terribly sad memorial resolutions to Del @lesliemehta.bsky.social VA's husband and Del Askew's chief of staff, who both passed away since the legislature adjourned.

Mild bipartisan support in the Senate for the conference committee budget agreement (which, per Minority Leader McDougle, Gov. Spanberger has not officially signed off on):

Voting board shows 23 yeas and 16 nays on HB30

Kudos to Finance Chair Louise Lucas from her GOP colleague and budget conferee Sen Stuart: "The Chairman did a fantastic job...her fortitude, her tenacity, she stood behind me and fought WITH me to address this issue that protects people and their ability to have water to live on."

Senate floor discussing budget conference agreement where a $1.2 billion consumption fee on data centers will go towards an increase to the standard deduction, a utility bill tax credit, 4% teacher raises, a 3.5% pay increase for all state employees.

Republicans relitigating the underlying policies of constitutional amendments the legislature has already passed—abortion rights, right to vote, right to marry—today at a joint House/ Senate P&E meeting to vote on the specific language to go on the November ballot (written by nonpartisan lawyers).

VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Gov Spanberger vetoed @salimforva.bsky.social bill to end this waiver, now found unconstitutional by {checks notes} conservative Justice Gorsuch. With enemies like this, who needs friends like Spanberger? Wait, is that how that goes?

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

The fact that the data center industry can spend this much money advertising for themselves nonstop during the World Cup tells you all you need to know about this policy battle.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Sorry, to clarify, marijuana *IS* in the House proposed actual budget, just wasn't mentioned in their summary.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Weird timing to release proposed budget details that don't include revenue from this, and then announce this.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

House Approps is up with a proposed budget conference report. It balances without ending data center tax exemption (but commits to studying data centers), w/o marijuana retail markets, w/o new gambling. Does allow school construction local tax option. hac.virginia.gov/wp-content/u...

hac.virginia.gov

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Conservative SCOVA Justice McCullough (who killed the redistricting amendment VA voters approved) appears at Code Commish to ask for leg. to add "plain language" translations to the legalese on court forms. He has a glossary of possible terms to translate. I wonder if "election" was on the list? 😤

VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

@paulkrizek.bsky.social now VC of Cannabis Market Transition Commish: 5 yrs in we still do not have an adult-use retail market. Cannabis is legal to grow & use but we continue to lack a safe regulated and taxed place to buy it. We continue to work on the transition even if the politics is difficult.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Of the 127 (unique) bills that Gov. Spanberger sent back w/ recommendations: ✅ The legislature adopted the recs on 92 of the bills ❌ The legislature rejected some/all the recs on the other 35 Of those rejected recs: 👍 The Gov. signed 20 of the bills anyway 👎 The Gov. vetoed 15 of the bills

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

It was stupid when Youngkin stood in the way of a regulated market for LEGAL recreational adult-use marijuana--not just for the important safety aspects of taking it off the black market, but also for the $$$ Virginia misses out on every day without. It is just as stupid now.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

At a time when corporations are getting all the breaks while consumers struggle to make ends meet, Spanberger sides with corporations over people again in vetoing the bill allowing class action lawsuits. A bill vetted & negotiated for years. A bill that's law in 48 other states.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Perhaps she should've worked WITH legislators DURING session collaboratively. It was one thing when Youngkin did it to bills by the Dem-controlled legislature, but this? But is the truth that, like repealing right to work, she actually has no intention of siding with workers?

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Not a lawyer, but listened to redistricting amendment arguments at SCOVA today. I heard a lot of "no fair!" arguments, but not a lot of "the law wasn't followed" arguments. At the end of the day, the legislature seems to have a lot of autonomy here, and exercised it accordingly.

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VAPLAN @vaplan.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Senate convenes a special session to deal with the budget--and so naturally spends an hour talking about whether or not voters were stupid idiots Tuesday for voting to allow the legislature to redistrict Virginia to 10-1 Dem-leaning districts.

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House also passes the bill in its enrolled form, notwithstanding the governor’s amendments.

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So much Senate talky-talk about Bill Stanley's poor poor drunk drivers who just made a mistake, who’re trying to keep their records clean if only the judges were allowed to let them. Not even a remotely close vote on overriding the governor’s veto.

9 yeas and 28 nays on motion to override the veto on SB764

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OMG it’s WILD. Stanley complaining about prosecutors not allowing drunk drivers to get off because of a “Walmart" one size fits all justice policy & they need to get re-elected. Because politics enters the Commonwealth’s Attorneys office. THE SAME GUY WHO VOTES FOR MANDATORY MINIMUMS all the time!

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It is just WILD to listen to GOP talk abt judicial discretion when it comes to drunk drivers & how putting them thru the criminal system (& losing a license etc.) is such a terrible outcome. When they CONSTANTLY have no sympathy for other people who make other types of mistakes.

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Senator Stanley--who really shouldn't even be allowed to VOTE on skill games legislation given his representation of the industry in court professionally--is now arguing for a senate vote to get the skill games legislation enrolled notwithstanding the governor's veto

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The day after VA voters approve a redistricting plan STRONGLY pushed by the Dem leg. leadership, over the initial objections & eventual lukewarm support of Governor Spanberger, legislature rejects many of her bill amendments and forces her to veto or accept many bills as passed.

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On this one @russetperry.bsky.social property easement bill, Senate rejects the governor’s recommendations, and then passes the bill in its enrolled form, notwithstanding those recommendations of the governor.

Voting board shows 32 yeas and 7 nays on SB342

Now the Senate also takes by for the day the recommendations to the prescription drug affordability act.

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Similar action in theSenate, with one exception that I noticed: governor's recommendations on prescription drug affordability board senate cognate (@CreighDeeds) was NOT on list passed by for the day. (Also, Senate GOP able to force a recorded vote on this motion.)

Also included @paulkrizek.bsky.social marijuana marketplace bill!

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Huge list of House bills with governor's recommendations taken by for the day (so, no vote on her amendments). Includes paid sick leave, assault gun ban, class action lawsuits, public sector collective bargaining, law enforcement mask ban, and prescription drug affordability

Because there's never a dull føcking moment in Virginia politics, the veto session is today. Follow along starting at noon.

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