RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia House of Delegates has thrown out two of Governor Terry McAuliffe's line-item budget vetoes.
House Speaker William J. Howell ruled Monday tht McAuliff's vetoes were outside the scope fo the governor's authority.
The move effectively overrides the vetoes without the House having to vote on them.
One veto Howell tossed out was of a Republican-backed amendment aimed at preventing him from expanding Medicaid without legislative approval. The House GOP majority blocked McAuliff's top legislative priority, leading to a protracted budget stalemate that threatened to shut down the government.
Howell also ruled a veto concerning funding for new state judgeships out of order.
The House voted 70-27 to override McAuliff's veto of funding for a new ethics commission.
