But with one voter ID measure passing the House this week and the other on track to clear the Senate on Monday, there was a sense that Democrats were not able to do much more than watch.
Sen. Janet D. Howell (D-Fairfax) knew Democrats had no chance of derailing the bill requiring ultrasounds before abortions, so she offered a floor amendment that made such a mockery of it that it drew national attention.
Virginia General Assembly: 2012 Guide
“Prior to prescribing medication for erectile dysfunction, a physician shall perform a digital rectal examination and a cardiac stress test,” her amendment read. It died in a 19-21 partisan vote.
Likewise, Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) offered what he conceded was a futile bill to prohibit state-funded adoption agencies from discriminating against gay couples. “I’m an eternal optimist,” he said.
Democrats still have some sway in the Senate, which November’s elections left evenly split, with 20 Republicans and 20 Democrats. Republicans claimed the majority because Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) can break tie votes in the Senate. Democrats, who contended that Bolling’s voting authority was limited, failed to get a power-sharing deal.
Democrats sued, seeking to block Bolling from voting on key matters of Senate organization, including the committee assignments that determine which bills make it to the floor and which die. The suit is pending, but the judge turned down a request before the session started to issue a temporary injunction blocking the Senate takeover.
Bolling has conceded that his voting power does not extend to the budget, constitutional amendments and judicial appointments — the only areas where Democrats hope to have some power.
Democrats were able to flaunt what power they have in the Senate a week ago, when they held up judicial nominations in a way that also halted the business of the Senate. Republicans eventually blinked, pulling the names of two nominees the Democrats had objected to. But even that victory was fairly empty. Democrats did not, in fact, oppose the nominees, simply the timing of their nominations. The two are expected to be confirmed for the bench by the end of the session.
Even with Republicans in control of both chambers, some of the most conservative bills have died.
A Senate committee has killed two high-profile gun-rights proposals that would have done away with state background checks and prevented colleges from banning firearms on campus. Another committee killed a bill to ban most abortions after 20 weeks after a woman testified that she terminated her pregnancy after medical problems.
On Friday, Democrats took to the House floor to bitterly complain about Republicans’ actions in the General Assembly.
“In four weeks, we have been distracted by divisive social issues,’’ House Minority Leader David J. Toscano (D-Charlottesville) said. “There have been bills on abortion, bills on guns, bills on gays. . . . This is not what the majority of Virginians elected us to do.”
Republicans shot back in passionate speeches, saying bills on guns and abortion are just a small number of the hundreds of measures that have been debated.
“They only represent a very small portion of the fine work that we have done,’’ House Deputy Majority Leader C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said. “We are, in fact, focused on jobs, creating the economic environment that will bring Virginia back.”
kumaranita@washpost.com
The Post Most: LocalMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hours
Loading...
Comments