Over the summer, America celebrated its 250th anniversary. This week, the Virginia General Assembly is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its first session. A special commemorative session of the General Assembly was held in Williamsburg Wednesday.
This year is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It's also the 250th anniversary of the creation of the Virginia state Senate, which was established by the state Constitution of 1776. At the time, the governor did not have the power to veto. That was a power held by the Senate.
"We can still flex today. Sometimes things don't change," says Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell.
The first version of the Senate could not initiate legislation. Senators could only amend or veto legislation from the House.
"The Senate still has a sort of veto and a sort of override ability," says Senator Danica Roem of Manassas.
Delegate Jessica Anderson of Williamsburg says the current system is probably a bit better.
"Putting the veto power in the executive branch forces us as members on both sides of the General Assembly to work bipartisanly," Anderson says.
Delegate Marcus Simon of Fairfax County points out that the House is 400 years old, a legacy that outranks the Senate, which is relatively young at 250.
"It was a mistake to create a state Senate," Simon says. "I think a unicameral House of Delegates would have been better."
The commemorative session of the General Assembly at the colonial Capitol in Williamsburg this week featured a special ceremonial mace, created by silversmiths at Colonial Williamsburg specifically for the occasion.
