Va. lawmakers OK governor’s tweaks to major bills, reject health and labor bill amendments

Virginia lawmakers met Wednesday to weigh Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s amendments to dozens of bills passed this year, reflecting both shared goals and differing views on some of the most consequential legislative proposals, despite Democratic control of both chambers and the governor’s mansion.

Paid sick leave amendments rejected

Lawmakers rejected Spanberger’s changes to their paid sick leave legislation. HB 5 by Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, D-Virignia Beach, and SB 199 by Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, would ensure employers allow workers to take up to five days off per year for minor illness recovery.

The state already allows this type of leave for home health workers and if the bill is signed, will expand this to other workers around the state. A point of contention emerged as airline pilots and other flight crew were excluded in Spanberger’s amendment.

In a statement ahead of the reconvened session, Air Line Pilots Association president Capt. Jason Ambrosi said that flight workers deserved to be included too.

“Paid sick leave is not a perk. It is a public health and aviation safety issue,” he wrote. “Crew members should not be pressured to fly while ill.”

Prescription Drug Affordability amendments rejected

A five-year journey to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board continues, as lawmakers rejected Spanberger’s amendments to it.

Now rebranded as the Affordable Medicine Act, the advisory board would help ensure that federal drug pricing caps are applied to state-regulated health insurance plans. Backed by both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the federal government approved caps on 10 drugs at the beginning of this year for Medicare recipients and another 15 are expected to kick in next year.

Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, who carried the House version of the bill, said that the state legislation is “simply extending that” to other insurance types. Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, carried the Senate version, SB 271.

Spanberger’s amendment, however, would add a reenactment clause, which advocates for the bill said would have taken the teeth out of the measure.

Meanwhile, groups like Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of America and the Virginia Association of Health Plans have expressed support for Spanberger’s amendments.

Association CEO Doug Gray said the fiscal impact statement for the bill was published weeks after the bill was passed, because it was heavily workshopped so close to its passage. Meanwhile, PhRMA has noted complexities in pharmaceutical supply chains.

Ultimately lawmakers in support of the bill have emphasized how it can help curb drug prices, as more and more of their constituents have relayed feeling forced to choose between rent, groceries and medicine.

Collective bargaining amendments rejected

Lawmakers shot down Spanberger’s amendments to collective bargaining bills for public employees, which would have delayed the bills’ implementation for local governments until 2030.

HB 1263 by Del. Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, and SB 378 by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, would repeal a prohibition on public employees  being able to collectively bargain for things like workplace conditions, benefits or salaries. Both lawmakers carried the legislation in previous sessions but it was not successful under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The Virginia Association of Counties have celebrated Spanberger’s amendments to delay the effectiveness of the law, while unions have continued to advocate for the bill to be signed without them.

Spanberger defended her amendments in recent weeks,  emphasizing that she felt that state employees should exercise collective bargaining rights first, to ensure “that we have a process that works” and to give “ourselves time for any level of adjustments.” She said that could prime local public sector employees to successfully do so later.

Next steps

The amendments that lawmakers accepted to their bills will be incorporated before the measures become law. The ones that were rejected and sent back to Spanberger have an uncertain fate; she can choose to sign them as is, or veto them.

The governor will have 30 days to take action. Unless otherwise noted, the signed bills will transform into laws July 1.

Both chambers will return to the Capitol Thursday to begin finalizing the state budget.