Youngkin vetoes recreational weed, paid sick leave and minimum wage hike
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin in D.C. last June. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is staying true to his vetoer reputation.
The big picture: With 157 vetoes so far this year, Youngkin has already rejected more bills than every other Virginia governor in the past 30 years.
- For comparison, former Gov. Ralph Northam vetoed 58 bills in his four-year term. But he was also a Democrat dealing with a majority Democratic legislature.
Between the lines: Vetoed bills can still make a comeback in the legislature, but that requires bipartisan support. Democrats don't have a two-thirds majority vote to override a veto.
- The General Assembly is taking up Youngkin's budget and bill amendments on April 2, which means more vetoes are likely on the way if lawmakers don't budge.
These are a few Youngkin said "no" to this week:
His repeat vetoes
🍃 A legal retail weed market with sales starting in May 2026. He said he wants to focus more on enforcement.
🔍 A bill removing weed consumption as grounds for a parent being denied custody or visitation of their kids.
👨⚖️ The chance at modified sentences for people incarcerated for some marijuana-related felony offenses.
🔫 A five-day waiting period for buying a gun so the dealer can check criminal history.
↗️ Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027.
🤝 Lifting the ban on collective bargaining for public employees.
💊 The creation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board.
🤒 Paid sick leave for all Virginia workers.
Education
🧠 A bill to require the state Department of Education to create and provide school board guidance on policies for "culturally responsive and language-appropriate" mental health support for students.
- Youngkin said "cultural responsiveness could introduce subjective and divisive criteria into the schools" and conflict with federal orders.
🚌 Allowing all localities to add a local sales and use tax and have the revenue from it go toward school construction projects, if voters agreed to it.
🍽️ A proposal for school boards to pay the total unpaid school meal balances at the end of the year.
📚 Directing a task force to look at the effect of absenteeism on local school systems.
Food and drink
💧 A proposal requiring any place that sells alcohol to make sure free water is available upon request.
- Youngkin said most establishments already do this and this would increase costs for businesses.
Henrico casino
🎰 Youngkin vetoed language that would've required Henrico residents to vote on a new Rosie's Gaming Emporium before it could be built near them, resulting in a fiery response from the county.
- "Henrico County is profoundly disappointed by the governor's decision to remove voters from having a direct say in whether historical horse racing slot machine operators, such as Rosie's, should operate in their backyards," officials wrote.
Jails
🌡️ This proposal would have required the Department of Corrections to keep state correctional facilities at no less than 65 degrees and no greater than 80 degrees.
Weapons
🏥 A push to make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to have a weapon inside a hospital that offers mental health services.
🚫 A statewide ban on some rifles and shotguns on public streets and in public parks.