RICHMOND, Va. - Lawmakers gaveled into session on Wednesday at noon to kick off their 2023 legislative session.
A divided government remains in the State Capitol with Democrats in control of the Senate and Republicans in control of the House of Delegates.
Democrats added to their majority in the Senate with the election of Aaron Rouse in the 7th District race to replace Jen Kiggans. Rouse's opponent Kevin Adams conceded Wednesday.
News 3 spoke with Rouse on Wednesday morning at the State Capitol about what his win means for the upcoming session and Gov. Youngkin's proposed agenda.
"It's about the women in the Commonwealth. Women can breathe easy knowing their rights to healthcare and their bodies are protected," Rouse answered.
Gov. Youngkin and Republican lawmakers are proposing a 15-week ban on abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
Youngkin met with members of both parties prior to the session beginning. "I'm optimistic. We have a lot of great overlap in objectives and I think primarily for things to get done in Virginia, we have to work together," he told News 3 in a brief interview.
Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert acknowledged this weekit's unlikely anything substantive will pass on abortion due to the Democratic majority in the Senate.
"I would be very surprised if anything of substance comes out of this General Assembly on that issue," Gilbert told reporters Monday.
Del. Tim Anderson (R-Virginia Beach) expressed the same sentiment heading into the State Capitol on Wednesday. "The Senate is controlled by Democrats and they've promised to kill every bill exists [on that], so I don't think there's going to be a lot of action on our side to push bills over there," Anderson said.
Youngkin has also proposed $1 billion in new tax cuts, which he says will save the average family of four about $600 a year.
Republicans seemed optimistic about those cuts passing. "I'm optimistic we're certainly going to go for that," said Del. Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach).
In a press conference ahead of the session, Democrats pushed back on the governor's budget proposal. "We need to make sure we put money into the pockets of working Virginians and education. to hell with the governor's budget proposal," said Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).
This year's session will last for 45 days.
