Late-game deals to legalize fireworks, raise the cigarette tax, allow smoking in casinos, introduce charter schools and repeal the Common Core educational standards all fizzled.
The charter school fight took weeks in the Senate and ended in a party-line vote earlier in session. The House of Delegates never put it up for a full vote, instead suggesting a task force should study the possible change.
Likewise, the Common Core repeal cleared the House earlier this month, but senators watered the bill down to nothing more than a study of the standards. Even that ended up dying.
In a 49-49 tie vote, Democrats and tea party Republicans helped kill a forced pooled bill that drew outcry about infringement of people’s property rights. It would have allowed horizontal drilling from missing or unwilling mineral rights owners when 80 percent of the surrounding mineral owners had drilling agreements.
Throughout session, Republicans voted to scale back various laws. It was part of an agenda they say will be conducive to job creation. Many Democrats say some of the measures will end up hurt working class people.
