Gov. Bob McDonnell’s plans to privatize liquor sales in Virginia was effectively killed in the General Assembly Friday when a Senate committee refused to take up the proposal.
Sen. Toddy Puller, D-Fairfax, chairwoman of the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee, rebuffed an attempt by Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, to bring the bill before the panel. The committee backed her decision on a party-line, 8-6 vote.
Puller said she would not consider the bill until the Republican-run House takes action on its version first. But the House killed its version of the bill on Wednesday.
Del. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, chairman of the House General Laws Committee, refused to take up McDonnell’s proposal and said it’s not likely his panel will consider it before Tuesday’s deadline for each chamber to act on its own legislation.
After Tuesday, the House and Senate can consider only legislation that was sent over by the other chamber. Since both chambers killed the privatization bill, McDonnell’s proposal to end the state’s monopoly on liquor sales is dead for the session.
Tucker Martin criticized Friday’s development.
“We’d prefer these eight Senate Democrats tell us why they oppose this small government proposal, rather than just seek excuses to not even discuss it,” he said. “They weren’t sent to Richmond to hide.”
The governor’s office can send legislation to the General Assembly at any time, even after Tuesday’s deadline, but McDonnell has not indicated whether he would do so in this case.
“We are committed to achieving ABC privatization during this administration” Martin said.
Senate Democrats, fearful that McDonnell is setting them up to take the blame for the measure’s failure, introduced a copy of the governor’s bill in the Republican House of Delegates to demonstrate that Republicans themselves don’t support the governor’s plan.
