Blog
General Assembly Update – Week 3
In the past week both the House and the Senate money committees heard requests from members for amendments to the 2022 – 2024 Biennium Budget. On February 5 the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees will present the budget with the amendment requests they selected to include.
In Virginia a budget is adopted for two years, this is known as the biennial budget system. The budget is enacted into law during the 60-day session, which occurs in even-numbered years and typically is not an election year for the House or Senate. In the odd-numbered years’ amendments are enacted to the budget. This is also when legislators can adjust the budget based on economic revenues or declines that occurred since the passage of the budget.
While the Hampton Roads Delegation submitted many amendment requests, these are a few that the Hampton Roads Chamber supports. There is a link to all member requests below.
Senators Louise Lucas and Lionell Spruill and Delegates Jay Leftwich and Cliff Hayes (Chesapeake and Portsmouth) are carrying a budget amendment to support the establishment of a regional Career and Technical Education Center in Chesapeake. This is an initiative that the Chesapeake Division of the Chamber has been actively pursuing for the past several years.
| Appropriation request of $20,000,000 from the general fund for the Chesapeake Public Schools support/establishment of a regional CTE facility for students in Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Norfolk. Chesapeake Public Schools shall provide $5,000,000 in matching funds. |
Delegate Angelia Williams-Graves (Norfolk) has requested $1.6 million to support an initiative of Chamber Member Dr. Antipas Harris to create the Wellness Support for Victims of Violence-Related Trauma Program.
| This amendment provides $1.6 million over two years to the Wholeness Social Support Initiative, a hospital-based violence intervention program provided by the Norfolk based non-profit The Urban Renewal Center. The Wholeness Social Support Initiative has support from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Chief Medical Officer Michael Hooper and Trauma Program Manager, Valerie Mitchell. This initiative also has support from other local community stakeholders including Norfolk State University, United Way of South Hampton Roads, and Eastern Virginia Medical School. |
Delegate Emily Brewer (Suffolk) has submitted a request for Multi-Use Trails in Hampton Roads. This is an initiative that the Chamber and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission support.
| This amendment provides $20.0 million in fiscal year 2024 to support the completion of the South Hampton Roads Trail and the Birthplace of America Trail both of which are located in Hampton Roads. |
Delegate Glenn Davis (Virginia Beach) has submitted a request for a Hospitality and Tourism Industry Workforce Development Grant Program
| This amendment provides $5.0 million in fiscal year 2023 to create a new Hospitality and Tourism Industry Workforce Development grant program. |
Delegate Jackie Glass (Norfolk) has submitted a request to support the Care Economy Business Council
| This amendment provides $100,000 in fiscal year 2024 and one position for the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to provide staff support for the Care Economy Business Council to identify the challenges facing the direct care workforce. |
Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata (Virginia Beach) submitted a request for the Virginia Beach Regional Stormwater Management Facility.
| This amendment provides $10.0 million in fiscal year 2024 for the city of Virginia Beach to design and construct a regional stormwater management facility. The facility will provide water quality treatment and stormwater management improvements to redirect stormwater to a proposed holding pond. When completed, the project would collect stormwater currently discharged into the Lynnhaven River within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed a redirect such discharges into the Rudee Inlet Watershed, which drains directly into the Atlantic Ocean. |
Senator Lionel Spruill (Chesapeake) has submitted a request for Norfolk State University to support the construction of a Living Learning Center and Dining Facility.
| This amendment provides $6.5 million to support detailed planning for the construction of a Living Learning Center and Dining Facility at Norfolk State University. This facility will consist of 286,471 square feet of academic, residential and community space, and a dining operation. |
Senator Aaron Rouse (Virginia Beach) has submitted a request to increase teacher salaries.
| This amendment provides $274 million for the state share of salary increases and related benefit costs to fund an additional 5.0 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2023, for funded SOQ instructional and support positions. This brings the total salary increase in FY 2024 to 10.0 percent. |
To access all of the budget amendment requests from the House and Senate, use the link below:
Budget Amendments – 2023 Session (virginia.gov)
Contact
Gretchen Heal
Vice President of Governmental Affairs
gheal@hrchamber.com
| Key Dates | |
| Sunday, February 5 | House Appropriations and Senate Finance & Appropriations Committees to complete action on Budget Bills.
(UVA report will follow) |
| Tuesday, February 7 | Crossover (last day for each house to act on its own legislation, except Budget Bills)
Amendments to Budget Bills available |
| Thursday, February 9 | Houses of origin to complete action on Budget Bills |
| Wednesday, February 15 | Last day to act on Budget Bills and revenue bills of other house and appoint conferees |
| Monday, February 20 | Last day for committee action on remaining bills |
| Thursday, February 23 | Last day to act on remaining bills and appoint conferees |
| Saturday, February 25 | Session adjourns sine die |
| Monday, March 27 | Last day for Governor’s action on legislation |
| Wednesday, April 12 | Reconvened session |