GOVERNOR'S VETO EXPLANATION

Pursuant to § 6 of Article V of the Constitution of Virginia, I am vetoing House Bill 1590.

This bill applies to the Town of Leesburg. It gives Leesburg certain powers to raze certain structures that have become worthless or blighted due to damage from fire or other natural disaster. When this bill was introduced, counties, cities and towns such as Leesburg did not have this type of power. However, Senate Bill 1115 and House Bill 2609, both of which I have signed into law, extend a similar authority to all counties, cities and towns in Virginia, which, of course, will include Leesburg. As a result, the necessity for this bill no longer exists, and it would be confusing and unwise for one locality to have a different set of procedures and laws for dealing with such structures than do all other counties, cities and towns in Virginia.