Separate bills that would have preserved access to contraception and eliminated the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s tax exemption were vetoed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.
A “person shall have the right to obtain contraceptives and to engage in contraception,” according to the vetoed contraception proposal, which also states that no “law, regulation, or policy” can restrict that access.
In a press release posted online, Youngkin stated that while he is in favor of contraception, the legislation approved by the Democratic Party-controlled Virginia legislature would “trample on the religious freedoms of Virginians” because it would provide a “unduly broad cause of action against political subdivisions and parents as well as medical professionals acting in their expert judgment.”
Youngkin claimed that access to contraceptives is already protected by the Constitution and had previously proposed language that would turn access to contraception into a policy as opposed to a legal requirement.
Youngkin’s veto, according to the state Democratic Party, will hurt Virginians.
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According to a news release published on X, Virginia Democratic Party chair Susan Swecker stated, “Gov. Youngkin just proved to Virginians that, once again, he does not care about their health or rights.”
“Contraception is used to manage a wide variety of health conditions,” Swecker stated “and by choosing not to protect it, Youngkin is hurting thousands of people.”
Additionally, Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have eliminated the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s exemption from recordation taxes and property taxes.
Property sales are subject to a recordation tax, which has been imposed in Virginia since the 1950s. Property tax exemptions are also protected by this fee.
The provisions that Youngkin vetoed expressly target the UDC, and he believed that making them law would set a “inappropriate precedent.”
The backing of Republican lawmakers would be necessary to override Youngkin’s vetoes. A two-thirds majority vote in the House is required by Virginia law.
Democrats hold a 51-to-49 advantage over Republican lawmakers in the Virginia House of Delegates, and they also hold a 21-to-19 advantage in the state senate.
