Youngkin Uses Veto Power Sending Bill Back To Legislator
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has strategically used his veto authority to reshape a Democratic bill, forcing a pivotal vote on parental rights in gender transitions.
Instead of rejecting a Democratic bill outright, Governor Youngkin returned it to the legislature with a key amendment. The original bill, sponsored by Delegate Laura Jane Cohen (D-Fairfax), mandates that schools annually remind parents to secure firearms and prescription drugs. Youngkin’s revision keeps the safety messaging intact but adds a provision requiring parental notification and consent if a student seeks to socially or medically transition to a different gender at school.
This move shifts the debate squarely to one of parental rights—a politically charged topic in Virginia. Democrats must now decide whether to accept the change or reject it, potentially placing them on record as opposing parental involvement in deeply personal matters involving their children, just months before a major election cycle.
The amendment echoes themes that propelled Youngkin to the governorship in 2021, particularly concerns over lack of transparency in Virginia schools. His campaign gained traction following allegations that Loudoun County Public Schools failed to disclose a sexual assault involving a “genderfluid” student—an incident that ignited national controversy.
By aligning the amendment with parental notification policies, Youngkin has positioned it as a continuation of that platform. The revised language directs school officials to inform at least one parent if a child seeks to transition at school, and to require parental permission before any gender transition plan—including counseling—is implemented.
The amendment has been met with sharp criticism from Delegate Cohen, who called it “garbage.” Cohen, a former school board member with ties to progressive groups and anti-gun advocacy, has a personal connection to the issue: her own child identifies as transgender and has cognitive disabilities. Her political career has focused on advancing transgender policies within Fairfax County schools, and she has previously opposed similar legislation.
Democrats now face a critical test. With narrow majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, Youngkin’s amendment could pass if a small number of Democrats defect. The Daily Wire reported that vulnerable Democrats Joshua Cole (Fredericksburg), Josh Thomas (Gainesville), and Michael Feggans (Virginia Beach) did not respond to inquiries about their stance.
The situation also parallels Sage’s Law, a Republican bill named after a Virginia teenager who was secretly transitioned by school staff without parental knowledge. The student was later trafficked to Baltimore, where she was discovered by the FBI in a convicted sex offender’s home. Despite the severity of the case, Sage’s Law was defeated in committee, and Democrats declined to hold a hearing this year when it was reintroduced.
Sage’s mother is now suing Appomattox County Public Schools, alleging that unlicensed school counselors repeatedly discussed gender identity with her daughter and provided unauthorized psychiatric care.