Mc­Don­nell increases use of executive power, vetoes two more bills

[Derechos]

By Rosalind S. Helderman
Gov. Bob Mc­Don­nell (R), who did not issue any outright vetoes in his first year in office, has now vetoed four measures approved by the General Assembly this year and altered others.

McDonnell’s increasingly wide exercise of executive power could create tension with the legislature, which had approved some measures he amended and vetoed by wide margins.

He most recently vetoed two measures dealing with fines and penalties for environmental violations. One bill would increase civil penalties that can be assessed by the director of the Department of Environmental Quality. It was approved unanimously by the state Senate and on a 62 to 37 vote in the House.

Another bill would, in certain circumstances,allow the State Water Control Board to impose a fine for failing to report withdrawing a million gallons of water a month for crop irrigation or, on average, 10,000 gallons a day in a month.

The measure passed the Senate on a 26 to 14 vote and the House on a vote of 75 to 23.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/mcdonnell-increases-use-of-executive-power-vetoes-two-more-bills/2011/03/30/AFBx5v2B_blog.html