Affordable Health Insurance Option is Vetoed by Governor

Earlier this year, more than 3,000 Virginia REALTORS® responded to a Call For Action in support of legislation that would open the door for our association to pool together our nearly 34,000 members to negotiate better, more affordable health insurance options for you and your families.

Our research indicates that nearly 7,000 of you go without insurance because of the prohibitive costs and many more of you have limited options to expensive plans.

The two bills, SB 1689 sponsored by Senator Siobhan Dunnavant and HB 2443 sponsored by Delegate Tony Wilt, passed the General Assembly with strong, bipartisan support.

Governor Ralph Northam’s administration expressed concerns about the policy as it passed the House and Senate. The Virginia REALTORS® Government Relations Team worked with the Northam administration to address the concerns. Thousands of REALTORS® contacted the Governor’s office to voice their opinions on how important this legislation is, not only to the real estate industry, but to working families across Virginia.

Unfortunately, the administration still had concerns and Governor Northam vetoed the legislation, ending the opportunity for this year.

While we didn’t make it across the finish line in 2019, our collective efforts gained positive bipartisan momentum on the issue. Several key legislative leaders have committed to working with the Virginia REALTORS® on legislation for the 2020 General Assembly Session, and we have committed to working with Governor Northam’s administration to address those concerns raised.

Our goal for the 2020 General Assembly Session is to put forth a comprehensive piece of legislation that will create stable, affordable, and quality healthcare insurance options for you and your families.

Courtesy Anthony Reedy, Vice President of Political Operations, Virginia REALTORS®.