A bill to ban contributions during special sessions
Legislators can still accept donations during a special session.
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The legislative session begins this week and we will be sending out multiple daily updates on developments as legislators work to change the laws in the Commonwealth.
Paid subscribers will know every detail first.
Almost session time
The General Assembly convenes on Wednesday for a short (30 day) legislative session. Abortion is the issue that will likely garner the most attention during this session depending on Tuesday’s special election. If Democrats win the special election to replace Jen Kiggans tomorrow, then Republicans will unlikely be able to pass any new abortion restrictions in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold the chamber 21-18 with the potential to pick up the seat formerly held by Kiggans.
Related: Abortion at the forefront in special election for Virginia Senate seat
Republicans hold the House of Delegates and Executive Mansion.
Either way, with a divided government, it is hard to see any significant changes to the Virginia code happening during this session. Albert Pollard sums it up with this quote to the Associated Press:
“I think the 2023 legislative session is going to be like a summer thunderstorm where it doesn’t rain — lots of thunderclaps and lightning bolts but no measurable precipitation,” said Albert Pollard, a former Democratic House member and now a lobbyist.
Keep up with the schedule each day of the session here.
Related: 12 education bills to watch in Virginia's 2023 General Assembly
Related: Abortion, taxes, politics ahead for Virginia’s General Assembly
A bill to ban fundraising during special sessions
State Sen. David Suetterlein (R) filed a bill that would extend the blackout period on fundraising by state legislators to include special sessions. Legislators in Virginia are not allowed by law to fundraise during the General Assembly’s session. There have been several special sessions in recent years, however, and Suetterlein wants to end that loophole that allows legislators to still accept donations during that time.
This could potentially be interesting in a few months as all 140 seats are up for reelection this November.
Rep. Bob Good semi-explains why he backed down in the Speaker battle and voted present
Rep. Bob Good (R-VA05) was a leading voice against supporting Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Good held steady in opposition to McCarthy for days until finally voting present on ballot 15 with other colleagues who were holding out.
Good did an interview with Jacob Hunziker from ABC13 to explain that night and his reasoning. Here is part of what he had to say:
“I'll give you a little inside baseball. What had happened going into that 14th vote, that 10 o'clock scheduled vote. Some agreement had been made by two of my colleagues and I won't name the two, but you probably surmise who they are, that they had made some kind of an agreement to help deliver the vote to make sure that he was going to be elected speaker and four of us were going to continue to vote "No" against Kevin McCarthy. I don't know what transpired or how that didn't work out and I was not part of this specific discussion between those two and leadership to come to that agreement. But when the tumult sort of arose, and the intensity got high, and you had the physical altercation by the soon-to-be probable chairman, or suspected Chairman (of the) Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers. When he physically went after Matt Gaetz, and the tensions just ran so high, and obviously a lot of emotions there when folks thought it was going to come to an end and it didn't, I huddled my colleagues, the four of us together, and I said, 'Guys, I just don't think we can sustain this through the weekend. This is going to come to a conclusion. There's no reason not to let it conclude tonight. Why don't the four of us come together? Let's vote present together. That way, the other two who were part of the agreement that went over tonight could go ahead and vote present also, and this would allow him to become speaker tonight. And then we can just move forward with the changes that have been made the constructive process and structural agreements that are in place.' And I just thought that was the most positive resolution. So that's what we did."
Kiggans was sworn into Congress
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R) was sworn into Congress over the weekend making her the newest member of Virginia’s congressional delegation. Here is a statement she released:
“It is the honor of a lifetime to represent my fellow Virginians in Congress. Regardless of whether or not you voted for me, I can assure you that I will work to serve you every day as your Representative in our nation’s capital.
“My mission is to bring civility, competence, and common sense to this legislative body and provide all Virginians with the strong, independent leadership in Washington they deserve.”
“Though the debate that played out this week was frustrating, it was worth the wait, and our hard-fought majority can now move forward, united, with purpose.
“I look forward to fighting for policies that will address the issues impacting the everyday lives of the 740,000 people who call the Second District home. From lowering the cost of living for hardworking families, to restoring law and order, to rebuilding American strength and delivering for our service members and veterans, I’m ready to get to work!”
Youngkin Continues to Draw Big Donors - Virginia Public Access Project
“In his first year in office, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has outpaced his predecessors when it comes to donors who write checks for $10,000 or more. In the final nine months of 2022, Youngkin's PAC raised $4.8 million in donations of $10,000 or more, with the majority coming from Virginia donors.”
Virginia releases third version of history, social studies standards - Washington Post
By Hannah Natanson
In the latest twist in a fight over what Virginia students should learn about the country’s past, state education officials on Friday released a third draft version of standards for history and social studies lessons.
The new standards, which total 68 pages and describe what kindergartners through 12th-graders should learn about state and national history, will come before the state’s Board of Education for a first review early next month, although final approval from the board — which will come after statewide public hearings and an online comment-gathering period — is probably still months away. Per Virginia law, state academic standards must be revised every seven years, and this round of revisions is being undertaken in compliance with that law.
