Virginians awoke Thursday to sobering reports out of Ukraine. While a large-scale modern war dominated the news, the General Assembly nevertheless turned attention to the task at hand: our Commonwealth’s budget. Thursday was a long day on the House floor as members deliberated the proposed spending plan.
The budget process can be procedurally confusing. The initial budget is generated in December by the sitting Governor (in this case, outgoing Governor Ralph Northam). The House then uses that budget as a starting point. Early in the legislative session, all House members are able to request amendments to remove or add spending proposals to this proposed budget. House Appropriations Committee members then consider these requests and eventually recommend the amendments that fund legislative initiatives and reflect the policies and intent of the House.
These recommended amendments are then heard on the House floor, where members may offer objections or offer their own new amendments. Unsurprisingly, this process can be lengthy and tedious, as the one hundred House members all carry different political and policy priorities. After a long floor session punctured by numerous speeches, the amended House budget was passed on a bipartisan vote of 74-Y 25-N. This is simply one step in the budget process, and much work remains to be completed at this time.
