GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1096, which would reverse the actions taken to safeguard our citizens and employees from gun violence in offices occupied by executive branch agencies.

All Virginians, including state employees, have the right to feel safe and secure going about their daily lives. Regulations have been authorized to promote safety in public buildings, and prevention requires us to address areas of concern before they are realized.

In addition, this legislation exempts rules, regulations, policies, and administrative actions imposed by certain agencies and institutions of higher education from the requirements of the bill. Such special exemptions, while other state agencies must comply, infers to the state workforce a perception of inequity for their wellbeing. Executive Order 50 is a consistent application of administrative requirements implemented across state agencies resulting in equitable state work force protections.

Our prior bipartisan agreement to make our Commonwealth safer was a step in the right direction, but we must continue the work.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.