RICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) made a few tweaks to a bill allowing parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates and returned it to the state Senate, where action was expected Tuesday evening.

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       As promised, Youngkin added an “emergency clause” to the bill, which would make the measure go into effect right away. He also added language that gives school systems about two weeks to develop plans for implementing the new policy. Each district would have to comply by March 1.

       Youngkin’s staff said the delay is aimed at allowing school administrators, parents and teachers time to prepare for the change.

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       Youngkin also added a line declaring that “nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the Governor’s authority” to respond to future health crises. It was unclear whether that language is intended to allow the governor to enforce future mask or other mandates as needed. Youngkin’s staff did not respond to a request for clarification.

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       Democrats in the House of Delegates had criticized the bill as tying the hands of school districts, preventing them from using mandates if there is another surge in the coronavirus or some other kind of outbreak.

       A majority of lawmakers in both the Senate and House of Delegates would have to approve the changes.

       The House approved the original Senate bill Monday on a party-line vote of 52-to-48, and House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) hand-carried the legislation to Youngkin at his office in the Capitol.

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       The House passed its own version of the bill Tuesday before the addition of the emergency clause with another party-line vote, 52-to-48, but Democrats warned that they might contest the idea that it would only take a simple majority vote to approve Youngkin’s emergency clause.

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       Emergency clauses that originate in the General Assembly ordinarily require a four-fifths vote for approval. In the Senate, an emergency clause requested by the governor is treated differently, requiring only a simple majority.

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       House Clerk Paul Nardo has ruled that the House also requires a simple majority for an emergency clause requested by the governor, based in part on rules adopted under Democratic leadership over the past two years.

       House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax), who served as speaker when Democrats were in power, said Tuesday that she does not believe her rules on the matter stand as precedent. It was unclear early Tuesday how Democrats could alter the clerk’s ruling on the matter, and several Democrats conceded privately that they were unlikely to be able to prevent Republicans from moving ahead.

       The Senate bill will move on to the House once the Senate takes action, potentially on Wednesday.