Freedom Virginia is pushing state legislators to override Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoes of four bills that would lower costs for working-class Virginians.
“Today, the legislature should take action to override Gov. Youngkin’s vetoes of bipartisan bills that would lower costs for Virginians,” said Rhena Hicks, executive director of Freedom Virginia.
The focus of the Freedom Virginia effort is on these four bills:
- SB 347, to require the establishment of energy efficiency savings for low-income, elderly, disabled, and veteran Virginians.
- HB 573, to place a three-year statute of limitations on medical debt currently burdening thousands of Virginians.
- HB 675, to cut health insurance premiums by eliminating the authority of a health carrier to vary its premium rates based on tobacco use.
- SB 297, to provide hospital billing protections by prohibiting any healthcare provider from pursuing debt collection before an award from the Crime Injuries Compensation Fund is determined.
As legislators continue to work on the budget, Freedom Virginia reiterated its call for them to provide tangible relief to those hardest hit by inflation. The legislature can help Virginians by passing a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit that puts an average of $500 in their pockets, and enacting parent relief payments to help middle class families, giving a family of four $1,200 in relief as opposed to the current proposal of $600.
“Gov. Youngkin ran a campaign promising to lower the cost of living for working Virginians, and he doubled down on that promise when he first took office,” Hicks said. “The governor’s decision to veto bipartisan cost-saving legislation represents a broken promise to Virginians. These bills would lower the cost of health insurance, utility bills, and medical debt that continues to burden thousands of Virginians. We look forward to the legislature overturning these harmful vetoes to bills that would provide economic security for all Virginians.”
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