Eastern Shore Times

The General Assembly recently convened for a Special Session and the constitutionally-mandated Reconvene Session, focusing specifically on predetermined matters. These sessions, unlike the winter regular session, did not include the evaluation of new legislative proposals.

During the Special Session, the primary activity was the election of judges across various state jurisdictions. Notably, Judge Junius Fulton, III was elected to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He will transition from the Virginia Court of Appeals and take over from retiring Chief Justice Bernard Goodwyn starting January 1, 2026. In Virginia, the chief justice is chosen by the justices themselves, differing from the federal system where the President plays a role.

Most of the legislative day was dedicated to the Reconvene Session, which concluded around 8:30 PM. The session was marked by an unusually high number of proposed amendments that were not individually voted on. Instead, a block vote was used to reject multiple amendments. Typically, block votes are reserved for technical rather than significant policy changes.

House Bill 2657 was among the debated topics. The bill in its passed form makes supplying fentanyl-laced drugs that result in death a case of involuntary manslaughter. The Governor suggested classifying such cases as first-degree murder, an amendment supported by some but ultimately rejected in block by the majority party.

Additionally, there was an attempt to replace the terms “birthing person” with “mother” and “pregnant person” with “pregnant woman” in three amendments, which did not proceed.

Locally focused legislation saw the Governor's amendments to House Bill 2157 accepted. This bill, granting independence to Richard Bland College, originally aimed for 2026, will now take effect in 2025, a change hailed as a victory for students in the area.

The Governor also proposed around 200 amendments to the budget bill, notably reallocating funds from vetoed proposals like the increase of the state minimum wage from $12.41 to $15 per hour. These resources were redirected to bolster revenue reserve funds by an additional $300 million, a move aimed at cushioning against potential economic downturns.

The legislative activities reflect ongoing debates and decisions impacting various aspects of the state's policies and economic strategies.

"Democrats continue to claim that the Trump administration will decimate our economy, so I was surprised to see that they did not wish to take any action to safeguard our state’s budget."

Mike Cherry, representing the community in the House of Delegates, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and remains available for constituents' queries.

For further inquiries, the best way to contact Cherry's legislative office is via email at DelMCherry@house.virginia.gov.