RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A historically diverse Virginia General Assembly is set to convene Wednesday, led for the first time in more than two decades by Democrats who are promising to enact a litany of changes.
“Voters demanded action, and they have called for a legislature that works for them. And this session, they will get exactly that,” House Speaker-elect Eileen Filler-Corn said at a press conference Tuesday with Gov. Ralph Northam and other legislative leaders.
In the weeks since Democrats retook control of the state House and Senate, they have laid out an ambitious agenda. It includes high-profile issues Republicans thwarted for years, including gun control measures and criminal justice reforms. They also have pledged to ease restrictions on abortion access, raise the minimum wage, prohibit discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community and make Virginia the next state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
Lawmakers will also be tasked with passing a two-year state budget.
Northam noted Tuesday that the lawmakers who will convene Wednesday will be a more diverse group than in years past.
“When you look out at our General Assembly members, they will much more reflect our society, and that’s something we should all be proud of,” he said.
Mirroring a national trend, women have made significant gains in a chamber dominated for centuries by men.
Democrats also elected a diverse slate of leaders. Filler-Corn will be the first woman to serve in the powerful House speaker role.
“What we will do this session ... will not surprise anybody. These are long overdue measures that are supported by a vast majority of Virginians,” Filler-Corn said.
Republicans have cast Democrats’ agenda as extreme, saying it would bring Virginia in line with liberal California or New York. They’ve promised to look for ways to hold the majority accountable, keep Virginia business friendly and exercise fiscal restraint.