WASHINGTON – Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has submitted dozens of amendments to an ethics bill passed in response to the corruption convictions of former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen, saying the measure is not tough enough.
McAuliffe announced Friday that he’s sending the changes to the General Assembly.
While many are technical fixes, others require more disclosure and change the bill’s restrictions on single gifts worth more than $100 to an aggregate $100 annual cap. McAuliffe imposed the $100 cap on his own family and staff when he took office.
McAuliffe also announced Friday that he has signed 733 bills passed this year, vetoed 17, and amended a total of 50.
In addition to the ethics bill, McAuliffe suggested what he calls technical changes to campus sexual assault prevention bills inspired by the death of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham and the now-discredited Rolling Stone story about a purported gang rape at the university.
McAuliffe vetoed a bill that would have allowed Virginians to drive around with a loaded shotgun in the car, and the so-called “Tebow bill” that was designed to give more home-schooled students the opportunity to play school sports.
The General Assembly reconvenes April 15 to take up the governor’s vetoes and suggested amendments.
While Republicans would likely have the votes to override some of the governor’s vetoes in the House of Delegates, the Senate is more evenly split between parties. A two-thirds vote in each chamber is needed to override a veto.
