RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- The wave of Democrats who won seats in the Virginia House of Delegates last year are having little success getting legislation passed.
Most of their bills have died as the 2018 session reached its midpoint Tuesday.
The lack of legislative success isn't a surprise. Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority in the House and have a one-vote majority in the state Senate. But the new lawmakers said they're puzzled that noncontroversial ideas are dying on strict party line committee votes.
Republican House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert said it's nothing personal, it's just how things have always been with freshmen in both parties. He said it takes time for lawmakers to learn how the legislative process works, and how to build relationships with other lawmakers to get things passed.
