Virginia's may be the most powerful legislature of them all

Youngkin is now learning what his predecessors discovered a long time ago — that the legislature is the strongest branch of government, and the commonwealth’s legislature is perhaps the strongest of all the states.

The Virginia General Assembly’s power over governors is a function of history, strong leadership and most importantly, the Virginia Constitution. Leery of executive power that evidenced itself in dictatorial colonial governors, our founders wrote the state constitutions to favor governance that is closest to the people — the legislature.

This legislative advantage is found in the Virginia Constitution. Virginia is the only state where the chief executive cannot serve consecutive terms, making it difficult for governors to extract concessions from legislators who will serve much longer. In their first year, they are learning the system. By their third year, they are viewed as “lame ducks.”

This dynamic is now playing out in the budget bill. When Virginia governors take office, they are dealing with a two-year budget prepared by the previous chief executive. In most states, newly elected governors submit a budget at the beginning of their term. Not so in Virginia! Newly sworn governors can propose budget amendments, but they are painting on a canvas that has been provided by their predecessor. The only budget plan that is uniquely theirs is created at the end of their second year in office. In their final year, they prepare another two-year budget, but they leave office before the legislature debates it in a new session with a new governor. This gives the legislature an edge in budget deliberations, and further fuels the adage frequently heard in Richmond that “governors come and go; the legislature is forever.”



https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/virginias-may-be-most-powerful-legislature-them-all