This Week In The Commonwealth

Mar 10, 2024

“The Virginia General Assembly and its vast infrastructure demonstrates tremendous commitment and sacrifice on behalf of the Commonwealth. Now the real work begins. We will study and discern the thousands of proposed bills plus a challenging, 'backward' budget that increases taxes. We’re going to have a busy 30 days going into the reconvened session and I remain determined to deliver commonsense solutions that do not further burden taxpayers,” Governor Glenn Youngkin

Taking Action

On Friday, Glenn Youngkin took final action on 84 pieces of legislation, signing 64 bills into law, amending 12 bills, and vetoing 8 bills.

The 8 bills the Governor vetoed prevented the enactment of laws that would redundantly mirror existing statutes, potentially reverse our advancements in safeguarding election data, and impose excessive regulatory constraints on our Commonwealth.

The Jobs Governor

Governor Glenn Youngkin this week announced that Modine, a diversified global leader in innovative thermal management solutions, will invest $18.1 million to increase capacity in Rockbridge County, creating 211 new jobs

Captains in the Capital

Governor Youngkin extended a welcome to a group of Christopher Newport students that were visiting the state capital to understand government and policy-making in the Commonwealth. Throughout the day, students had meaningful discussions with a wide range of lawmakers and state officials!

The First Lady's Feature

In line with the First Lady of Virginia’s commitment to her Women+girls (W+g) initiative, Mrs. Youngkin joined Governor Glenn Youngkin at a Maternal Health Roundtable to discuss how to best nurture healthy moms, families, and communities in Virginia. Moderated by Kay Coles James, and with inputs from Health and Human Resource leaders like Secretary John Littel, State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton, and Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services Cheryl Roberts, dozens of stakeholders from the medical community and private sector shared best practices and set goals for success. In her collaboration with agencies, local nonprofits, and private organizations, Mrs. Youngkin continues to push for increased access to health and wellness for Virginia’s W+g.

In a nod to the next generation, the First Lady and Governor also met with the Senate and House Pages, offering each of them a First Lady pin and learning about their service during this General Assembly session. To find out more about this unique educational opportunity: click here

Talking About Practice

This week, Governor Youngkin declared March 5th as Allen Iverson Day during the unveiling of “Allen Iverson Way” in Newport News. Celebrating the legacy of a Virginia native and NBA icon! Congratulations, AI!

#homehistory at Richmond's Executive Mansion

Artist and Washington, Virginia, resident Ruthie Windsor-Mann is inspired by the nature surrounding her studio in the middle of a hayfield in Rappahannock County. Having received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee, Ruthie has been a professional painter since 1970, making #homehistory with work in many public and private collections in the United States and abroad. This March, the Art Experience at the Executive Mansion will feature two of Ruthie’s paintings, “The Blank Canvas” and “Not Quite Hidden,” in celebration of Women’s History Month. To learn more about this limited-time exhibition or start planning your visit, head to the Executive Mansion website.