The Democrat-led House of Delegates voted 53-42 on Friday to advance the legislation that would take away certain tax exemptions from the Virginia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Confederate Memorial Literary Society, among others.

The sponsor of the bill, Democratic state Del. Alex Askew, said it is not aimed at saying the organizations cannot exist but rather that the groups should not be getting tax breaks.

“It’s not about free speech. It’s not about taking down monuments. That’s something we did a few years back. It’s about fairness and financial and fiscal priorities of Virginia,” Askew told WTVR.

The bill will head to the state Senate on crossover day next month for consideration, which would land it on Youngkin’s desk again if the upper chamber approves it.

Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last year, arguing in his veto message that casting out single organizations would offer a bad model for the future.

“Narrowly targeting specific organizations to gain or lose such tax exemptions sets an inappropriate precedent. Initially, the General Assembly granted exemptions through a three-quarter vote of both houses, but now, a simple majority can revoke them. Choosing winners and losers is imprudent and undermines the tax system’s fairness,” Youngkin said in the 2024 veto message.

In that address last year, the Virginia governor also called on the state legislature to eye broader reforms of property tax exemptions, arguing it was “ripe for reform.”

“A more effective approach to reform would involve broad-based measures, allowing local governments autonomy in determining tax exemptions and considering the locality’s tax base and deed transfers. These considerations would be permitted when a county or city sets its real estate tax levy, helping to reduce effective tax increases through assessments,” Youngkin said.