Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has perused hundreds of bills passed by the state legislature in 2011, and vetoed a high-profile measure that would mandate 150 minutes of physical education a week for K-8 students by 2014.
But he’s not done yet.
McDonnell has until March 29 to sign, amend, or veto legislation, and several major items are still awaiting action, including:
- A measure that would tighten restrictions on abortion clinics in the state. In anticipation of McDonnell’s signing off on the bill, state health officials have already crafted a timeline to implement the new regulations requiring clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions per month to meet hospital-like standards.
- Legislation that would require health insurers to provide coverage for autistic children between the ages of 2 and 6, with an annual maximum benefit capped at $35,000. The measure won the backing of House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, a position that drew fire from the conservative group Americans For Prosperity.
- A bill to increase the cap on medical malpractice awards from $2 million to $2.05 million on July 1, 2012, and $50,000 annually until July 1, 2031.
Decisions on those bills will likely come next week, according to a spokesman for the governor.
