Welcome to the new KerryDougherty.com. Fresh content most weekdays, and best of all: it's free. 

Subscribe, leave a comment, tell your friends.

And come back often. 

Only Glenn Youngkin's Veto Pen Stands Between Virginians & Democrat Extremists

Only Glenn Youngkin's Veto Pen Stands Between Virginians & Democrat Extremists

by Victoria Manning

Virginia Democrats oppose protecting women and school choice, but they support 3rd trimester abortions and gutting Second Amendment rights.

Even though Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly know their extremist bills don't have a shot at escaping Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's veto pen, they insist on introducing the most far-left bills imaginable in the 2025 legislative session.

Virginia Democrats are quickly killing commonsense Republican bills that would protect children, abolish taxes on tips, protect women's sports, and expand freedom for Virginia families. That includes voting against a bill requiring physicians care for a baby born alive during a botched abortion.

Democrats killed two Senate bills that would require public school sports participation to be determined based on biological sex, not gender identity. Despite overwhelming support for this type of law nationally, Virginia Democrats refuse to solidify protections under Title IX. Women have overcome obstacles to be able to compete in high level athletics, but Democrats want those gains erased by (transgender) men.

A part of their assault on Second Amendment rights, Democrats have also moved legislation forward that would place liability for crimes committed with a firearm onto gun manufacturers or dealers—the equivalent of suing vehicle manufacturers for deaths caused by car accidents.

San Francisco on the James

Here are just some highlights of bills introduced in the first two weeks of the 2025 Virginia legislative session.

Republican bills that Democrats killed in committee:

SB1079: A Senate bill requiring each elementary or secondary school to have sports participation based on biological sex. The ACLU denounced the bill by bizarrely claiming that banning transgenders "from sports teams doesn't protect girls" and calling the bill discriminatory. The only argument radical Democrat state Sen. Pekarsky had was that the bill was meant "to target kids"—and then she made a motion to kill it.

SB1066: This legislation would require Family Life Education curriculum to have a lesson on gestation that would include a video of an ultrasound recording at various stages of gestation. The state teachers' union, the Virginia Education Association, spoke against the bill stating it was "over prescriptive" and Planned Parenthood called it an "attempt at anti-abortion propaganda." Nowhere in the legislation does it refer to abortions.

SB1346: A school choice bill that would provide a $5,000 scholarship for 10,000 low-income students to use at a private school of their choice. While many Republicans would like to see much more expansive school choice options, Virginia currently has nearly zero. Democrat Sen. VanValkenburg called it an “upward redistribution of wealth,” even though the funds would be given to low-income families. Of course, the Virginia Education Association opposed it because they want full control over every child. The bill was killed 3–2.

(RELATED: Virginia’s Teachers’ Union Mourns the Election Results in Email to Members)

Democrat bills that passed out of committee or subcommittee:

HB1638: Prohibits a landlord who rents to a tenant in a property deemed to be "affordable housing" from asking questions regarding criminal history, unless they follow a model policy created by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. It's unknown what the model policy will state and could be changed by the next governor. This bill passed the House on a 50–47 party line vote and is headed to the Senate floor.

HB1716: This legislation prohibits anyone from restricting any person from obtaining contraceptives. There are no exceptions for minor children, so it would not be a crime for any adult to give a child contraceptives, including birth control pills.

SJ247: A constitutional amendment establishing a fundamental right to have an abortion. The bill would make it illegal to penalize or prosecute anyone for aiding or assisting a person to have an abortion—no matter the stage of the pregnancy. That means zero age restrictions or requirements for parental consent.

Republican Sen. Tara Durant proposed an amendment that would require parental consent for an abortion, but every Virginia Democrat voted against it and the amendment died. Republican Sen. Emily Jordan proposed another amendment that would ensure medical care “in the event that an infant is born alive after an abortion procedure.” Democrats also voted down that amendment. The original constitutional amendment passed with 21 Democrats voting in favor and 19 Republicans rejecting the measure.

The constitutional amendment must pass next year also and then it would move onto the voters. A governor cannot veto the legislation.

HB1608: This is an unprecedented bill that could hold firearms dealers or makers liable for crimes committed using guns manufactured or sold by the “industry member.” It permits someone injured “as a result of a firearm industry member’s acts or omissions” to sue for compensatory and punitive damages. The bill passed out of committee on a 12–10 party line vote with all Democrats in favor.

Democrats currently have a one seat majority in both chambers of the General Assembly. The entire Virginia House and Governor’s mansion are up for election in November 2025.

Republished with permission from Restoration News.

Trump Just Popped Biden’s Condoms-For-Gaza Program

Trump Just Popped Biden’s Condoms-For-Gaza Program