Governor Youngkin Has a Busy First Day: 11 Decisive Actions Signed in by Virginia’s New Leader

Republican Glenn Youngkin was sworn in Saturday as the 74th governor of Virginia, and wasted no time in getting down to business with executive actions aimed at coronavirus mask mandates, critical race theory in public schools and other issues Youngkin campaigned on. The C-SPAN video shows Youngkin taking his oath of office about the 22-minute mark of footage in the state capital of Richmond. [firefly_embed] [/firefly_embed] Following his inauguration, the new governor fulfilled promises made for his first day in office by signing 11 executive actions that consisted of nine executive orders and two executive directives. The actions addressed a wide range of issues but contained a heavier focus on those within the education system and the economy. Two conservative "hot" points Youngkin targeted were the vaccine mandate for state employees and the termination of critical race theory in schools. According to WTKR-TV in Norfolk , Youngkin's office released a list of the new governor's actions: Executive Order Number One was to stop the use of critical race theory concepts in public schools. Executive Order Number Two allows parents to make decisions on whether their children will wear a mask at school. Executive Order Number Three terminated the state's current parole board and appointed new members, according to The Hill . Executive Order Number Four established an investigation into the Loudon County school district. Executive Order Number Five creates the office of Commonwealth Chief Transformation Officer, a cabinet-level position empowered to review the performance of state government agencies, starting with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Employment Commission. Executive Order Number Six helps boost the state economy by declaring Virginia open for business. Executive Order Number Seven pertains to the prevention and combatting of human trafficking and provides support to trafficking survivors. Executive Order Number Eight establishes a commission to combat anti-Semitism . Executive Order Number Nine is the withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an organization involving 11 mid-Atlantic and Northeast states aimed at capping carbon emissions from power generation. Youngkin has called it a "bad deal for Virginia businesses," according to U.S. News and World Report. Executive Directive Number One is another "win" for the economy by cutting regulations that reduce jobs, by 25 percent, Youngkin's office reported, according to WTKR. Executive Directive Number Two restores individual privacy and liberty by rescinding the vaccine mandate for state employees. In an interview with WTKR , Youngkin also said he planned to rescind the state mask mandate and "press back" against the federal vaccine mandates. Youngkin succeeds Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam and beat out Democrat contender Terry McAullife in the November election. This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

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