Six Takeaways from Gov. Youngkin's Speech; Democrats Respond; LG Earle-Sears Featured at Trump Inaugural Event; Pastor Milton Blount Passes; AI Legislation

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Democrats React to Youngkin Speech on Maternal Health, Public School Funding and Threats to the Virginia Economy

Below: State Senators Mamie Locke and L. Louise Lucas speak on racial disparities in health care and stopping threats to cuts to funding for public schools.

Below: Speaking on maternal health policy, which Gov. Youngkin mentioned in his State of the Commonwealth, Virginia House Majority Leader Charniele Herring comments on what the history has been on the issue.

Below: Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell speaks on the potential damage that would be caused to the Virginia economy if proposed cuts to the federal workforce take place. Several Republicans who will be working in the Trump Administration had spoken often about cutting the federal workforce or relocating it.

Governor Youngkin didn’t mention the issue during his speech. But last week, Youngkin signed on to a letter from the Republican Governors Association stating “overwhelming support for President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency Initiative and request that Congress work alongside him to solidify the efficiencies that are found into law."

6 Takeaways from Gov. Youngkin’s State of the Commonwealth

Gov. Youngkin’s one hour speech focused on his priorities for Virginia during his last year in power — and as Trump returns to Washington. The State of the Commonwealth speech was delayed until Jan. 13, 2015 after the City of Richmond went without usable water for five days.

Below: Governor Youngkin, Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, Speaker Don Scott and Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore Senator L. Louise Lucas.

Six Takeaways. Governor Youngkin’s speech put emphasis on points of agreement and what Democrats and Republicans have “done together.” But the devil is always in the details.

1. No on Envio. Like many Republicans on the national level, Youngkin pushed against environmental regulation. Yesterday he called for the end of guidelines passed under Democrats in Virginia. They include a mandate to electric vehicles.

2. Fight Coming on Tax Relief. Though Youngkin struck many bipartisan notes during his speech there’s likely a fight coming on tax policy. Youngkin called Virginia’s car tax “the most hated tax in America,” and repeated his policy call for “no tax on tips.” Democrats aren’t completely embracing Youngkin’s tax proposals yet.

3. Big No on Cannabis. Gov. Youngkin is totally against expanding any sort of policy on legal weed related sales in Virginia. Youngkin is completely against any policy to establish a marketplace for cannabis.

4. Data Centers. Gov. Youngkin is pro “more data center” even after a JLARC report warned of the many issues related to them.

5. Casino Commission. Gov. Youngkin wants the government to regulate casinos out of one office. It’s noteworthy that the Governor spoke on local authority on data centers but not on casino regulations.

6. Fentanyl. Gov. Youngkin, with many Democrats standing and clapping, spoke on a new tougher penalty on fentanyl related crimes. Watch for bipartisan efforts to create more punitive penalties on fentanyl — even though there’s no evidence of those types of penalties actually working.

The entire State of the Commonwealth address can be viewed below:

Above: Gov. Youngkin greets House Speaker Don Scott at the start of the State of the Commonwealth.

Latest 🎙️ Podcast: Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan on the fight ahead as Trump returns to office.

Also: Speaker Don Scott on the 2205 session of the Virginia General Assembly.

Democrats Define Themselves: Two Democrats Kill Workplace Protection Bill in Committee

As Democrats figure out which policy direction to head in after the across the board defeats on the federal level, a few moments that indicate that there may be a long road ahead if the party is to break from monied interest and define itself consistently as a party championing “the working class.”

Some Democrats are eager to move to the right on policy already proven to be ineffective. Many Democrats stood and clapped for Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin as he mentioned an increased penalty for dealers of fentanyl. More punitive drug sentences enacted into law in the past have not been proven to actual reduce crime — though they are beneficial in political advertising. But Democrats remain concerned that the party needs to show itself as “tough on crime” regardless of facts, data and actual policy effectiveness. In an election year for members of the House of Delegates and all statewide offices in Virginia, there’s all but certain to be several messaging bills passed.

Yesterday, two Democrats in the Virginia Senate killed a workplace protection bill for factory workers. The legislation was offered by Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy. Two of her Democratic colleagues, Senators Mike Marsden and Jeremy McPike, “sided with Republicans on the Commerce and Labor Committee to kill the bill for the second year in a row,” as reported by VPM on Jan. 13, 2025.

After Vice President Harris lost the presidential election to Donald Trump, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders was hit with criticism for saying that, “it should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right,” on Nov. 6, 2024.

Democrats are in the midst of selecting a new Chair of the DNC. Issues around protecting the “working class” were mentioned many times by various candidates. As Trump returns to power in six days, it’s likely that his policy decisions in the first 100 days will force the Democratic Party to refocus on what it actually stands for.

Lt. Governor Sears Special Guest at Trump-Vance Inaugural Event

The Black Conservative Foundation has released several event flyers over the last few weeks highlighting events that Black conservatives will have over inaugural weekend. Their latest Legacy of Freedom Ball announcement features Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. Last night the group announced that there headline inaugural events are sold out. See below:

In addition to the inauguration taking place on Jan. 20, 2025, there are several events on Jan. 19 and a “counter” march to Tump’s return to office on that same day. President-Elect Trump is also holding an indoor rally the day before inauguration on Jan. 19. All events are in Washington, DC.

These Bills Would Regulate Ai Use in Virginia

By Nathaniel Cline for the Virginia Mercury. Emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, have generated public safety and privacy concerns that Virginia lawmakers could address within the coming weeks.

Del. Michelle Maldonado, D-Manassas, and Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, are sponsoring legislation — backed by the Joint Commission on Technology and Science — to regulate the high-risk artificial intelligence systems that are becoming more commonly used in critical infrastructure and industries, from health care and law enforcement, to education and employment.

“All types of entities are using artificial intelligence,” said Aird, adding that the proposed legislation aims to “prevent harm from being done to individuals in the most significant of situations.”

Artificial intelligence has been used to improve security, enhance health care, improve communications and connect people. After a rare neurological disorder affected her ability to speak, former state senator and U.S. House representative Jennifer Wexton used an AI model of her voice to talk to her colleagues. It was the first time “a voice cloned by AI was used on the House floor,” NPR reported. READ ENTIRE

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2- Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching Paperback (2009)
3- Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey (Oct. 2024)
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5- When Mayor Doug Wilder Ruled Richmond: Strong-Arm Politics in Virginia's Capital City by Linwoood Norman (Aug. 2024)

6- Rumor, Repression, and Racial Politics: How the Harassment of Black Elected Officials Shaped Post-Civil Rights America (Since 1970: Histories of Contemporary America) by George Derek Musgrove
7- Son of Virginia, A Life in America's Political Arena (2015) by L. Douglas Wilder

8- The New Jim Crow (2010) by Michelle Alexander
9- Remaking Virginia Politics by Paul Goldman (Jan. 2022)
10- Burn the Page: A True Story of Torching Doubts, Blazing Trails, and Igniting Change (2022) by Danica Roem
11- Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal About Rising Threats to American Democracy Hardcover (2024) by Timothy J. Heaphy

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