The 2024 General Assembly session adjourned sine die (a Latin term that signals the adjournment of session) on Saturday, March 9. Several good bills on reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, and criminal legal reform passed the Virginia legislature and are now on the Governor’s desk, pending executive action by April 8.
Know your legislative process:
When bills pass out of the General Assembly with more than seven days remaining in session, the Governor has seven days from the date the bills are officially sent to his desk in which to act on them.
When bills pass out of the General Assembly with fewer than seven days remaining in session, the Governor has 30 days from the date of adjournment in which to take action on them. This year, the legislature adjourned on March 9, which means the Governor has until April 8 to act on any piece of legislation that reaches his desk.
The Governor can sign, veto, or amend the bill. If the Governor does not act on the bill, it will become law without his signature.
After the Governor takes action, Virginia lawmakers will return to Richmond on April 17 for a Reconvene Session. The Virginia General Assembly will vote to accept or reject the Governor’s amendments to a bill; or to override the Governor’s veto.
Unless otherwise specified in the legislation itself, bills that become law will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
At a glance:
Here are the seven-day bills we support upon which the Governor already acted :
- HB174: affirms the right to marriage (SIGNED)
- SB238: provides insurance coverage for contraception (AMENDED WITH RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION)
- SB35: requires unconscious bias and cultural competency training for healthcare providers and medical professionals (AMENDED TO NARROW SCOPE OF APPLICATION)
- SB235: clarifies that parental notification and opt-out policies cannot be used to censor books in public schools (VETOED)
- SB606: requires Virginia to re-establish membership in the interstate Electronic Registration Information Center (“ERIC”) (VETOED)
For the bills that are still on the Governor’s desk, click on each issue area below.