When members of the House and Senate went behind closed doors to consider how they would find a compromise around a potential new casino in Tysons Corner, they emerged with something radically different than the House version or the Senate version. Gone was the requirement for a referendum asking for approval from voters.
Instead, it was replaced by a mandate for a five-year pop-up casino. Here's Senator Jennifer Boysko of Herndon.
"That was never on the table. That was never a part of the bill. That was never considered in committee or before the public. That's bad faith in my opinion," Boysko said. "I was terribly disappointed, and this is not the way we should be doing legislation."
That version of the bill, the one that was crafted in secret, was eventually abandoned. And the version that Governor Spanberger is now considering includes the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approving a referendum.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell says he hopes she’ll sign the bill.
"This bill is one of labor's top priorities because of the quality of jobs its going to create for people without college degrees in Virginia," Surovell contends. "And if we are going to have an economy that works for everybody, we need to have projects that generate not just white-collar jobs but also blue-collar jobs, construction jobs, desk jobs where people can work without having a college degree. So I'm hoping she does it."
One bill the governor will not be considering: An effort to allow for online gambling. That bill did not survive the hectic final few hours of the General Assembly session.
