Governor Glenn Youngkin’s attempt to restrict abortion rights in Virginia has been thwarted by a turn out of democrat voters. Read more about which of Youngkin’s plans for Virginia have been turned around.
November can mean several things for different people. For some it’s the month of Thanksgiving or the start of fall, but for all Americans it’s election month. On Nov. 7 it was Election Day for Virginians and several of Youngkin’s plans for Virginia were thwarted. Issues ranging from abortion, gun control, climate change, and voting rights are affected by Democrats winning back control of the house of delegates and keeping control of the Senate.
Since the overturning of Roe V. Wade, abortion has been a controversial topic in all parts of the country. Currently in Virginia abortions are permitted through the second trimester for any reason and through the third if three doctors agree the procedure is necessary for the mother’s health or life. Youngkin proposed a 15 week ban on abortion with the exception for sexual violence, incest, and if the mother would not survive childbirth. This proposal was carefully worded to avoid the word “ban” but rather use the term “limit.” Although Youngkin leaned into what democrat voters would question about an abortion ban, this attempt was unsuccessful. Women’s access to abortion and reproductive healthcare is unlikely to change now that Democrats have more power.
In 2020-2021 Democrats in Virginia put gun control laws into place such as the “red flag” law. The law aims to take away firearms from those a judge deems dangerous to others or themselves. Other laws imposed include: laws that require criminal background checks for all firearm purchases, laws that restrict the number of firearms purchased to one per month, and also laws that give local governments the power to ban guns from government buildings and public parks. Although Youngkin has faced pressure from his party to restrict these passed laws, these laws are most likely here to stay.
Although Governor Youngkin wanted to reverse environmental legislation in Virginia, it is set to stay. Previously, Democrats passed environmental legislation that followed in California’s footsteps. These measurements require Virginia to follow California’s car emissions laws and standards. Governor Youngkin claims these policies will increase the cost of living in Virginia and put the state in a disadvantage in business.
In Virginia, voting rights are permanently taken away from those convicted of felonies. This policy was put to work in the Jim Crow era in an attempt to restrict and reduce the number of black voters. Governor Youngkin has gone back to strict policies in which a convicted felon must file an application to vote and administration reviews whether the convicted felon should be allowed to vote. It’s important to note that there is no public criteria for what would give a person the right to vote back. This previous election had no effect on voting rights, but should still be addressed in the future.