March 9, 2024
House Democrats Send 711 Bills, Responsible Budget to the Governor’s Desk
RICHMOND, VA – Today, after 60 days, Virginia House of Delegates adjourned sine die — sending 711 bills and a fiscally responsible budget to the Governor’s desk, on time. The budget passed the House with bipartisan support with a 62-37 vote.
Speaker Don Scott said, “I was honored to be elected Speaker, and I’m incredibly proud of the work we have achieved this session. Our constituents sent us here to govern and to govern effectively. We did that, and on time. Some thought that our narrow majority wouldn’t be enough to lead, but we stuck together and reached across the aisle to get essential legislation on the Governor’s desk. We sent him 84 7-day bills, 64 of which have been signed into law. Together we have protected the right to marriage, protected access to reproductive healthcare, protected the right to vote and made our communities safer.”
“I am incredibly proud of the work we’ve done this session,” said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring. “On the first day of Session we stood with our colleagues in the Senate to tell Virginians across the Commonwealth that we heard them loud and clear when they told us that they wanted a Legislature that moves Virginia Forward. I’m excited to say that we’ve accomplished that goal. I want to take a moment to say how proud I am of every single one of the Delegates in our Caucus, especially our freshmen, who showed up everyday to tackle the biggest issues facing our residents and our Commonwealth.”
“This session, House Democrats have shown up for women, we’ve shown up for our children, and we’ve shown up for working families. We’ve got a budget and passed legislation that pays our teachers what they deserve, that allows women to access contraception and decide when they want to start a family, and that raises the minimum wage for hardworking Virginians. That is what the people asked of us last November and that is what we did,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Kathy Tran.
House Appropriations Chairman Torian said, “This budget represents the priorities of people who have been forgotten for so long. We sought to present a budget that spoke to the needs and concerns for the people of the commonwealth. This is a budget that includes pay raises for people who need them, that improves K-12 education and makes education affordable for people in Virginia.”
The General Assembly will reconvene on April 17th, 2024. Members of the press with additional questions should reach out to Jenner Foster at jenner@vahousedems.org.
###