This Labor Day weekend, the stakes are high as the policies of pro-big government Abigail Spanberger pose a threat to Virginia’s labor force. As the leader of the Independent Women’s Network Northern Virginia chapter, I know our members want leaders who support workers, not undermine them. 

While in Congress, Spanberger was a co-sponsor of the “Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act,” which would empower union bullies and coerce workers. Plus, the PRO Act would reclassify Virginia freelancers, self-employed professionals, and gig workers as employees, forcing them into traditional 9-to-5 jobs against their will.

In contrast, under conservative leadership, the Youngkin-Sears administration has a proven track record of supporting workers through major regulatory reforms. 

Here are some examples of recent pro-worker Virginia policies that could be rolled back under Spanberger, who seeks to take Gov. Youngkin’s place: 

  • Action 6010 / Stage 10261, which reduces the minimum hours for cosmetology training and saves over $3 million per year.
  • Action 6128 / Stage 10737, which expands the scope of practice for certain general classes of contractors, reduces the length of pre-license education, removes the requirement to post course approval certificates, etc.
  • Action 6075 / Stage 10044, which creates a new type of residential tradesman license for the HVAC and plumbing trades with less burdensome entry requirements (producing $27 million/year in reduced costs/increased earnings).
  • Entering into a cosmetology interstate compact (see an example here and the underlying regulation), which makes it easier for people to move to Virginia from other states and obtain a license.
  • Reducing processing times across the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) from a little over a month to roughly one week, which increases earnings potential by over $100 million per year.
  • DPOR eliminated unnecessary restrictions governing barbers, opticians, polygraph examiners, and estheticians.

All told, the Youngkin-Sears administration has saved Virginians an estimated $1.2 billion annually through regulatory reform. We can’t afford to return to eras of inefficient government that fails to work for We The People.