Virginia Senate to Reconvene Special Session on May 14

On Tuesday the Virginia State Senate released the following statement….

Senator Ryan T. McDougle (R-Hanover), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules, today announced the Senate of Virginia would reconvene the 2018 Special Session at noon on Monday, May 14.

The Senate will convene to refer House Bills 5001 and 5002 to the Senate Committee on Finance, which will meet immediately upon recess of the Special Session to consider those measures:

“The schedule we are announcing today will give the Senate the best opportunity to have the most current and complete information on the Commonwealth’s fiscal outlook as we craft a final budget agreement,” noted Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (R-James City).  “We anticipate Secretary Layne will be prepared to update the Committee with revised revenue projections as we begin our deliberations.

“Governor Northam and the House have advanced plans to extend Medicaid benefits to able-bodied adults under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.  While their plans are embedded in their respective budget proposals, Senator Hanger and Senator Wagner have advanced outlines of expansion proposals that are markedly different from the Governor’s and the House’s.

“It is our intention to consider the implications of all proposals when the Senate Finance Committee meets.  To ensure Committee staff has the opportunity to fully vet any proposals prior to our meeting, we are asking senators with alternative proposals to submit them by May 7.  Senators with budget amendments unrelated to Medicaid expansion should submit them to the Committee by that date, as well.

“With complete information on the state’s revenue outlook, and with a full understanding of the implications and ramifications of each of the respective Medicaid expansion proposals, the Committee will be able to act in the best interests of Virginia.”

House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) responded:

“I’m disappointed it’s taking this long to do something that could have been done nearly a month earlier. The House sent a budget to the Senate on April 17th and the Senate had an opportunity to act when we were here for the reconvened session.

“We need to get this done sooner rather than later. The Senate needs to put the budget in conference on May 14th so the General Assembly can fulfill its constitutional obligation to pass a balanced budget. Local governments, school boards, and national bond rating agencies are expecting us to act, and there’s no reason for delay.”