by Dick Hall-Sizemore

The House of Delegates Appropriations Committee has taken the offensive in the budget impasse in the General Assembly. 

The committee has released its version of a budget conference bill.  Based on the new revenue forecasts, the committee has proposed significant appropriation increases for education, social services, and other priorities of the legislature.  The proposal includes funding for numerous Senate initiatives that that body had included in its earlier budget amendments.

Missing from this proposal is the repeal of the sales tax exemption for data centers that the Senate has been insisting on.  However, there is a provision requiring the establishment of a Virginia Commission on Data Center Accountability, comprised of legislators, members of the Executive Branch, and gubernatorial appointees.  The role of the commission would be to develop  “a comprehensive strategy for the future of data center development in the Commonwealth.”

Governor Spanberger has endorsed the House version.

In addition to the budget items, the House proposal includes the following “add-ons”:

Standard deduction for personal income taxes—Deletes the increase proposed by former Gov. Youngkin in his budget proposal.

Optional additional local sales tax—Authorizes all cities and counties to increase the local sales tax by one percent, subject to approval in a referendum.  The additional revenue would be required to be used for construction or major improvement of educational facilities, except in Northern Virginia, which could dedicated the revenues to Metro.

Prohibition of carrying assault firearms in public.

Paid sick leave—Changes to recently-enacted legislation.

Cannabis sales—There is a placeholder for legislation authorizing cannabis sales.  It was announced today that the governor and the patrons of cannabis marketplace legislation that she earlier vetoed had agreed on provisions on this issue.

House leaders emphasized that they were open to negotiations with the Senate. “It’s never take it or leave it. We have too much respect for the Senate,” De. Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), the Speaker of the House,  said. “We’ve put forth our best offer. This is a proposal for a conference report.”

A summary of the major items in the House proposal can be found here.  The individual amendments are here.