Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, was removed from her position as Transportation Committee chair on Thursday by her caucus, which is led by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton.
Boysko was also removed from the Rules Committee, as only committee chairs serve on Rules.
All Democrats, including Boysko, voted in support of making the changes. She was replaced by Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, who is also the party favorite to replace outgoing DPVA Chair Susan Swecker.
Surovell and Boysko both declined to comment when asked by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
These moves come after Boysko publically testified in a House sub-committee against Surovell’s legislation to establish a casino in Fairfax.
The bill was voted down, likely killing any chance of it surviving this session.
Boysko celebrated on social media with a post on Wednesday.
“Oh what a happy day leading up to Valentine’s,” she posted. “SB982 the ‘Casino Bill’ has died in a House Appropriations Subcommittee.”
Senate Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, pushed back Friday morning on the media coverage of Boysko being removed.
“Reporters want to cover stories about who is fighting with who because it gets more readers than what we are fighting for together,” she wrote. “Better school funding. Great jobs in our communities. A cleaner environment. Public Safety. We will never let anyone distract us.”
VA News from VPAP posts a long list of stories each day from reporters across the commonwealth covering bills that pass or die.