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Virginia lawmakers were preparing for a potentially contentious return to Richmond on April 2, 2025, as Gov. Glenn Youngkin considered hundreds of bills passed during the General Assembly session.

Youngkin had until March 24 to act on 916 measures sent to his desk. They included a state budget funding teacher bonuses, disaster relief and tax rebates for working families. At the time, lawmakers had received notice of action on only a small number of bills.

The Virginia Constitution requires the General Assembly to reconvene on the sixth Wednesday after a regular or special session ends. During that meeting, commonly called the veto session, lawmakers consider gubernatorial vetoes and recommended amendments.

Youngkin entered the process after vetoing 201 bills in 2024, described as a Virginia record for both a single legislative session and an entire four-year gubernatorial term. Those vetoes included proposals involving the minimum wage, pay transparency, paid family and medical leave, and gun-violence prevention.

Overriding any new vetoes would require a two-thirds vote, making reversals unlikely under the General Assembly’s political balance. Lawmakers can approve or reject the governor’s amendments with a simple majority, but Youngkin would then decide whether to sign or veto any legislation whose amendments were rejected.

Virginia Democrats expected another aggressive round of vetoes and amendments, arguing that Youngkin could block measures addressing worker protections, public-school funding and clean energy. They also criticized his support for federal workforce reductions associated with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, noting that many affected federal employees live or work in Virginia.

The approaching gubernatorial election added to the political stakes. Democrats pledged to challenge Youngkin’s decisions during the reconvened session, even as the high threshold for overriding vetoes left them with limited options.