Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 11 executive orders following his swearing in ceremony on Saturday, including those that overturn Virginia’s mask mandate for public schools and a COVID vaccination requirement for state workers.
Driving the news: Youngkin also signed an order that bans the teaching of critical race theory, a major focus of the 2021 campaign.
- Another one of the order effectively withdrawals the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a program with neighboring states intended to reduce carbon pollution.
Of note: Many of these moves could face legal challenges as well as pushback from state lawmakers.
Go deeper: Glenn Youngkin’s play: Forever- and Never-Trumpers
