Delegates clash over whether many bills were denied hearings as session nears deadlines

Members of the Virginia House of Delegates spent a lengthy portion of Friday’s session disputing how the chamber’s committees have been handling requests for hearings as the General Assembly’s deadlines approach.

The disagreement opened during the morning hours when Delegate Matt Griffin (R-Bedford) asked to return to the “first morning hour” for motions, a procedural request that preceded a round of personal-privilege speeches focused on committee process. Delegate Paul E. D. Earley Jr. (R-Chesterfield) argued that many bills filed by Republican members “were denied a hearing,” saying the result was that “constituents who sent us here are denied a voice.” Earley told colleagues that more than “nearly a 50” Republican bills “were not even heard in committee.”

Democrats on the floor responded. Delegate Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax) said the majority’s committee chairs prioritized bills that have a realistic chance of becoming law and that…