Richmond’s new reality was evident yesterday when Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling broke a party-line tie, helping Senate Republicans pass a bill to ban contracts for state projects that require work done by union workers. As WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, debate centered around the need for any such law in Virginia.
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Democrats argued the legislation is just plain unnecessary because both union and non-union shops already bid successfully on state contracts — things like highway construction. But Republicans like Harrisonburg Senator Mark Obenshain say the measure will keep the cost of big contracts down, and Virginia will benefit by solidifying its pro-business environment. A similar bill easily passed in the House of Delegates.
