Top Virginia Senate Democrats deal setback to legislation to relocate Washington Capitals, Wizards
Source: Associated Press
Top Virginia Senate Democrats deal setback to legislation to relocate Washington Capitals, Wizards
BY SARAH RANKIN
Updated 1:43 PM EST, February 12, 2024
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Top Democrats in the Virginia Senate have dealt a blow to legislation to help pave the way for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals to relocate to northern Virginia, refusing to docket the bill for a hearing and expressing serious reservations Monday about the financing of the proposed deal.
Sen. L. Louise Lucas, who holds great sway in the General Assembly as chair of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee, first said over the weekend on social media that legislation underpinning the deal negotiated by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin was “not ready for prime time” and would not receive a hearing in her committee. The decision effectively killed the Senate version of the legislation because of a procedural deadline this week, though another bill is making progress in the House of Delegates, which is also controlled by Democrats.
Lucas, who took questions from reporters Monday morning along with Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, said Youngkin had made a series of mistakes in trying to advance the proposal through a General Assembly now in full Democratic control after November’s elections.
Among them, she said, was a weekend speech at Washington and Lee University in which Youngkin took a broad swipe at Democrats collectively, saying the party does “not believe in — nor do they want — a strong America.”
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/virginia-glenn-youngkin-washington-sports-arena-c1b8fe38718a2560feef6baee7207faf
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Earlier DU thread: Bill to help relocate Washington Capitals, Wizards sails through 1st Virginia legislative hearing
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