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The 2014 session of the Virginia General Assembly entered the home stretch this week, as negotiations to iron-out differences between the House and Senate versions of the state’s biennial budget began.
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Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed HB 975, repealing the $64 annual tax on hybrid electric vehicles. The bill had passed the Senate on a vote of 37-1, with all 20 Democrats voting in favor.
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As explained in this space before, Medicaid expansion is an optional part of the Affordable Care Act. Payment for expansion, however, is not optional. Funding comes from federal taxes.
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A voice vote in the House Commerce and Labor committee killed a measure to increase the minimum wage in Virginia. The bill, SB 590 (Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax), would have raised the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.25 incrementally over the next two years.
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Democrats in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted Wednesday to curb gun violence by stopping two House bills that would have weakened existing regulations to keep dangerous weapons including machine guns and bazookas out of public circulation and recognize more easily obtained out-of-state concealed carry permits.
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The Virginia Senate voted Tuesday 20-20 to pass a bill that would raise the state minimum wage to $9.25. The vote took place along party lines, with all Democrats supporting and all Republicans opposed. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam broke the tie.
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The Virginia Senate voted Tuesday to pass a bill to repeal the mandatory ultrasound requirement that Republicans passed in 2012. Senate Democrats provided 19 of the 20 votes which produced a tie, broken by Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam.
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Monday afternoon, the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor voted 10-6 to report a bill that would raise the state minimum wage to $9.25. The vote took place along party lines, with all Democrats supporting and all Republicans opposed.
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Monday afternoon, the State Senate voted to pass SB 260, a mental health reform bill introduced by Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath County) and co-patroned by senators from both parties.
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On the Senate floor Monday afternoon, Democrats and Republicans joined together to pass SB 649, the omnibus ethics reforms package.
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