NORFOLK, Va. — Gov. Glenn Youngkin began issuing vetoes Monday, rejecting legislation passed by the General Assembly this year that would raise the minimum wage and prohibit carrying certain semi-automatic center-fire rifles and shotguns in public spaces.

The governor still had about 900 bills to consider after his first round of signings earlier this month. By Monday afternoon, about 450 bills had been signed or enacted and 11 had been vetoed.

Several pieces of legislation Youngkin rejected last year met the same fate this time around. At least a dozen similar or identical bills that were vetoed last year were on Youngkin’s desk again this year, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

One bill rejected this year and last year would have established a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, a framework the General Assembly has spent years trying to create. The legislation would have created an independent, nonpartisan board of medical and health experts tasked with analyzing data to set payment limits on drug prices within state-sponsored health plans. Proponents of the bill said it would have delivered cost benefits to Virginians ineligible for savings under current Medicare price negotiations. Opponents said it could restrict access to certain medications, since pharmaceutical companies may hesitate to sell their drugs in Virginia if the price limit differs from national or regional rates.

Youngkin also denied a minimum wage increase. The hourly wage in Virginia would have been raised incrementally to $15 per hour by Jan. 1, 2027. Advocates said it would help workers keep up with inflation and afford necessities without relying on government assistance. Others cautioned it could strain businesses.

In January, the minimum wage increased to $12.41 an hour, up from $12. That’s because of legislation the General Assembly passed in 2020 that change is a result of legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2020 that required the minimum wage to begin increasing this year in accordance with inflation if it is not otherwise changed by statute.

Previously, a person making $12 an hour and working 40 hours a week earned $480 a week, minus taxes. That increased to $496.40 a week, or about $25,000 a year, at a $12.41 an hour wage.

Youngkin also rejected HB1921, a bill that aimed to require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked and five paid sick days per year for full-time workers. Employees could use the paid sick leave for physical or mental illness or to care for a sick family member. The hours also could have been for an employee’s need for services or relocation because of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking. The requirement would have gone into effect July 1, 2026, and proponents said it would have prevented workers from having to choose between their health and their paychecks.

In previous years, Democrats and Republicans clashed over legislation to raise Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. Democrats have had slim majorities in both chambers, meaning Republican backing wasn’t needed to get the bill through the legislature, but Democrats wouldn’t have the votes to override a veto. This year, the increase passed the House of Delegates 50-46 and the Senate 21-19.

Youngkin rejected at least two firearms-related bills Monday. One would have prohibited the carrying of certain semi-automatic center-fire rifles and shotguns on public streets and parks. Another bill would have created standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members.

Several bills Youngkin rejected in previous years had not seen any action as of Monday afternoon. One such repeat bill would create a five-day waiting period for purchasing firearms.

Of the 2,500 pieces of proposed legislation that came through the General Assembly this year, about 1,400 bills were killed, VPAP reported. More than 960 were passed, while another 65 were consolidated. In 2024, Youngkin vetoed 201 bills, more than any other recent governor in Virginia.

Youngkin’s deadline for his decisions is Monday at 11:59 p.m.

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