WASHINGTON – On the same day the Supreme Court begins hearing arguments on same-sex marriage, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell voiced strong support for his state’s gay marriage laws.
“I do believe that the traditional two-parent family of one man and one woman is the best way to raise children. I think all the social data would indicate that,” McDonnell said Tuesday after appearing on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” show. “It depends now what the Supreme Court does. If they were to rule that was unconstitutional, then that would trump the Virginia constitution.”
McDonnell, a Republican, says he believes same-sex marriage decisions should be a state matter, and Virginia “enacted a constitutional amendment five or six years ago that did not permit same-sex marriage or civil unions,” he said.
“That is the law in Virginia. It is the constitution of Virginia,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell’s guest appearance came less than 24 hours after he made changes to and signed major legislation in the state affecting transportation revenue, voter ID rules and laws governing texting while driving, among others.
The transportation bill has been a major issue in the state and a primary concern for the governor. He has said repeatedly in the preceding months the state had a “math problem” and major changes needed to be made to increase revenue.
Shortly before midnight on Monday, he signed the transportation bill passed by the Virginia General Assembly after making some key changes. The bill goes back to the General Assembly for the one-day veto session on April 3.
If it’s approved, it becomes law July 1.
Under the governor’s changes to the transportation bill, empirical criteria — such as congestion and number of cars on the roads — would dictate sales tax rates in different regions of the state. Using the criteria, Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia still are expected to pay 6 percent sales tax, rather than the 5.3 percent tax statewide. A previous iteration of the bill specifically named those two regions as paying the higher tax.
To read what McDonnell said about the state’s voter ID changes, texting while driving laws and coverage for abortions, read the blog below. Or, listen to the show by clicking the audio on the right.
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