VACo Analysis of House and Senate Budget Proposals
The fourth bullet in the Tax Policy section was revised on March 2, 2024. On Thursday, February 22, the full House and Senate passed their respective budgets, marking another milestone in the process of adopting a new biennium budget and revisions to the FY 2024 budget. The House voted to approve its version of the […]
Visit Lee County and the Lee County Historic Courthouse
Location: 5 Main Street / Church StreetBuilt: 1933 – 1934Style: Neo-ClassicalArchitect: D R BeesonContractor: V L Nicholson & Company of Tennessee Description: The building faces north and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Jonesville. The north front has a portico […]
School Construction Financing Bills Advance Through Committees, Headed Back to Senate and House Floors!
On Wednesday, February 21, the House Finance Committee reported with a substitute SB 14 (McPike) on a bipartisan vote of 13-8. As previously reported, this bill would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing […]
Local Speed Limits Authority Bill Gets Green Light
HB 1071 (Carr) seeks to achieve a long sought-after transportation safety policy goal of Virginia localities. This bill would allow the governing body of any locality to reduce to less than 25 miles per hour, but not less than 15 miles per hour, the speed limit of highways that are part of the state highway system. The bill further […]
“Money Committees” Report Budgets
The House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee advanced their respective versions of the caboose and biennial budgets on February 18. In keeping with “Budget Sunday” tradition, subcommittee chairs presented key elements of each committee’s proposal prior to the full committee voting to report its budget revisions to the full House or Senate. […]
Photo Speed Enforcement Bill Amended
SB 336 (Roem) as introduced, would permit a state or local law enforcement agency to place and operate a photo speed monitoring device at a “high-risk intersection,” as defined in the bill, located within the locality. Before operation of the photo speed camera, the state or local law enforcement agency must certify that a traffic […]
Teacher Compensation Bills Advance with Differing Language
Dueling bills that would impact Standards of Quality-funded instructional and support positions are making their way through the General Assembly. HB 187 (Clark) and SB 104 (Lucas) as originally written both sought to codify a requirement that public school teachers be compensated at a minimum of, at, or above the national average teacher salary. In […]
VACo Seeks Input for Water Withdrawal Permitting Prioritization Bill
SB 673 (Stuart) directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Water Control Board to prioritize the preservation of water for human consumption and food production in all permitting and regulatory processes related to groundwater and surface water resources. VACo seeks member input on how, if adopted, SB 673 would impact your locality. VACo […]
JLARC Recommendation Legislation Consolidated and Clears Crossover
Following the eye-opening report on Virginia’s K-12 Funding Formula released in July 2023 by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), several pieces of legislation were introduced by legislators seeking to codify many of the report’s recommendations. From the Senate, most of the bills originating in that chamber related to the JLARC report have […]
Areas of Concern in January Revenue Report Ahead of “Budget Sunday”
Secretary of Finance Stephen E. Cummings briefed members of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on state revenues on Wednesday, February 14. In contrast to the cautiously upbeat tone of previous presentations, Secretary Cummings expressed concern about the performance of state revenues in January. Although overall general fund revenues are up 5.3 percent on a […]
Counties’ Opposition Heard – SCC Authority Bills Fail
At the request of the patrons, and in the face of strong opposition from Virginia counties, HB 636 (Sullivan) and SB 567 (Deeds) were carried over to the 2025 legislative session. The bills proposed giving the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) the authority to override local comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances for the siting of […]
Bills and Budget Amendments Under Consideration to Implement Behavioral Health Commission Recommendations
Members of the Behavioral Health Commission adopted a series of recommendations in December, with proposals emerging from the Commission’s review of the implementation of the STEP-VA initiative, its study of school-based mental health services, and its review of proposals to create an expedited court diversion process, as well as a 2022 JLARC study of the […]
Unpaved Road Flexibility Bills Make it to Crossover
SB 644 (Perry) and HB 74 (Reid) would clarify that the improvement of nonsurface treated secondary highways includes modifications other than paving. These improvements include but aren’t limited to drainage upgrades, enhanced design of the highway profile, or any positive changes to increase safety, reduce maintenance cost or enhance the historic qualities of the road […]
School Construction Financing Bill Passes House of Delegates
On Tuesday, February 13, the full House of Delegates passed HB 805 (Rasoul) by a vote of 69-28. As previously reported, this bill permits any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing body and approved by […]
VACo Requests Feedback on Concerning Revenue Sharing Program Budget Amendment
Item 438 #1h (McQuinn) and Item 438 #2s (Marsden) are budget amendments that seek to rewrite the current Revenue Sharing Program prioritization process that would adversely affect county governments. VACo seeks member feedback on how the proposed budget amendments may affect your locality and the impacts this could have on county-wide infrastructure. The Revenue Sharing […]
Legislation Addressing Local Fiscal Distress Moves Forward in the Senate, Fails in House
HB 655 (Coyner) and SB 645 (Aird) build on existing budget language that creates a process for state review of local fiscal distress, but also go beyond this language in enabling the state to appoint an emergency fiscal manager in situations where a locality is “unwilling or unable to comply with the conditions necessary to […]