Happy Flag Day and U.S. Army Day! Thank you to everyone who has served the nation.
Many poets and artists have written about Old Glory during its 248 year history and in my estimation, Johnny Cash's Ragged Old Flag is still the very best. May our nation always appreciate the ideals for which our flag stands and recognize the sacrifices of the people that have worn our flag on their sleeves to help achieve them.
20 years ago: Pass a late Budget, then back to Richmond
In 2004, budget deadlines were missed and the budget process was not finished until Governor Mark Warner signed it during a special session in June. In July 2004, the General Assembly was called back into special session because of legislation that had passed the Virginia Senate 40-0 and the House of Delegates 88-9.
The lightly opposed bill's entire summary said "Sunday closing laws. Repeals Virginia's 'Blue laws" but the bill actually repealed exemptions to those laws meaning several businesses were suddenly and unexpectedly prohibited from operating on Sundays. This mistake was not discovered until right before it went into effect on July 1.
Senator Mary Margaret Whipple who voted for the bill told the New York Times, " It sounded like an innocuous bill with a benign purpose. When it was presented, the patron said it was to repeal the blue laws. That sounded good to all of us." The bill's patron, Senator Fred Quayle said, ''I had no idea it would come to this. I think that perhaps a lot of us have learned lessons from this on reviewing the legislation that we introduce.''
On July 13, 2004 the Virginia Senate voted 34-0 and the House of Delegates 79-1 to repeal the law they had recently adopted by similarly lopsided margins and the "Blue laws" were actually then repealed.
Special Session on Tuesday: Back to Richmond after a late Budget
Mark Twain is frequently credited with the apt observation, that "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes."
In 2024, budget deadlines were missed and the budget process was not finished until Glenn Youngkin signed it during a special session in May. In June 2024, the General Assembly was called back into special session because of a provision in legislation that had passed the Virginia Senate 39-1 and the House of Delegates 94-6.
On Tuesday the Virginia Senate is scheduled to meet to reconsider changes that were made in May to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program through the must-pass budget bill. Any changes to a program like this should only be made after careful consideration of a stand alone bill - not as a provision on a must-pass bill. Most of my Senate Republican colleagues and I formally recorded our opposition to the provision, but unfortunately a resolution preventing any and all amendments to the budget bill had already passed over my objections. I had strongly opposed the resolution preventing amendments because it was obvious there were issues on the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program provision that had not been fully vetted.
The General Assembly could have removed the changes to Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program from the must-pass budget and instead let them be more thoroughly studied in a stand alone bill later. Instead the resolution preventing all amendments passed over my objections forcing the provision to stay through the budget and also further empowering the General Assembly Democratic leadership to prevent any amendments for the remainder of the special session. It is expected that competing bills addressing the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program will be offered on Tuesday, but the grossly disproportionate 10-5 Democratic majority in the Senate Finance Committee means it will be even more difficult.
Usually the Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates meet on the same day, but for this matter the House is not scheduled to meet until Friday, June 28 creating unusual process questions. Further complicating the situation is Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas saying late today that she also wishes to put forward yet to be seen legislation authorizing skill games in convenience stores at our Tuesday meeting.
Returning to Richmond to reconsider too hastily passed legislation is not new, but this iteration of it has more difficulties that the General Assembly chose to add. I will seek to keep you updated and appreciate your thoughts.
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