State Senator Ralph Smith (R-Botetourt) has introduced legislation (SB5) that would require the budget to be posted online for 72 hours before a vote could be taken.
Smith is taking this step after last year’s budget was passed mere minutes after it was distributed to legislators.
“Virginians expect their legislators to make informed decisions and that is not possible with just half an hour to review the entire budget. The budget bill is so thick, you can hardly carry it from one room to another in that time,” said Smith. “The goal of SB 5 is to bring the budget discussion out of Capitol Square and into the public square. Taxpayers deserve a little time to review the budget before their legislators commit over 70 billion of their tax dollars to a biennium budget.”
