Top VA News
Alexandria council passes FY2011 budget
The FY2011 budget totals $531.6 million, a 0.3% increase from FY2010. Read more
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How It Works: The Budget Process in the State of Virginia
On the second Wednesday in January, the General Assembly convenes. The biennial state budget is discussed and approved in even numbered year. The budget bill goes first to the Appropriations Committee in the House of Delegates and the Finance Committee in the Senate, where it is considered by subcommittees.
Funding for the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities comes through the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee and the Education Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee. These subcommittees amend or approve the funding for the Foundation that was proposed by the Governor. The subcommittees report to the full House Appropriations or Senate Finance Committees. The full committees usually accept the subcommittee recommendations.
The budget bill with legislative amendments goes to the floor of each branch of the General Assembly for approval by that house. There is little time to make amendments to the budget at this point by either the full House of Delegates or the full Senate.
The Budget Conference Committee, composed of members of the House Appropriations committee and members of the Senate Finance Committee, meet to work out the differences between the two versions of the budget bill. The Budget Conference committee report is voted upon by both branches of the General Assembly in the closing days of the legislative session.
After the General Assembly session, the Governor has the option of proposing additional amendments to the budget adopted by the General Assembly. The General Assembly reconvenes for one day in April to consider these amendments. After the April General Assembly session, the Governor has the option of using his line item veto powers on any item in the budget. The final budget becomes effective July 1 of that year.
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