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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGeneral Assembly Update1 2026 General Assembly Week 6 2 2026 Session Today’s update: •Status of Legislative Agenda items •Budget Update •Legislation of interest Goal of today’s presentation is to provide an update on the General Assembly session and highlight legislation of interest 3 Legislative Agenda items 10:1 Charter Election System HB 187 Convirs- Fowler SB 681 Rouse •Passed House 83-13-1; Passed Senate Local Gov’t 10-5 •Passed Senate 27-13; Passed House 72-25-1 and now heads to Governor Cancer Screenings for Public Safety HB 393 Askew •Passed House 97-0 •Referred to Senate Finance EMS "Four for Life" funding HB 57 Feggans •Passed the House 98-0 •Passed Senate Transportation 15-0; rereferred to Finance Subaquatic Vegetation HB 390 Askew •Passed House 98-0; Referred to Senate Agriculture 10-1 General Law HB 168 Askew SB 51 Rouse •Passed House 75-24; Passed S-Local Gov’t 9-6 •Passed Senate 26-14;Passed House 72-26 and now heads to the Governor 4 Spot marking pilot program •SCC Damage Prevention Advisory Committee (DPAC) •Members must have expertise with the VA Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act •March 3rd meeting to discuss potential spot marking pilot program •March 3rd DPAC meeting; Dominion’s Damage Prevention Program Manager, Andy Brooks, will present 1.Definition of spot marking 2.Overview of the proposed pilot area 3.Examples of excessive markings 4.Rendering of the revised marking approach 5 Budget - Legislative Agenda Items House •$5 million for Atlantic Park •$2 million to support Delegate Askew’s bill on cancer screenings •$500,000 for Historic Nimmo Church •$500,000 for YMCA partnership •$2 million for Menhaden Research Study •$2 million solar interconnection Grant Program •$1 million Sports Tourism Grant Program •$150,000 to study emergency management needs in Virginia •Legislative workgroup to study impacts from Veterans Tax exemption •$43.5 for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to support grants to localities for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) improvements Senate •$2.5 Sports Tourism Grant Program •$340.5 million to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District Treatment Plant Project. •Adopts $43.5 million GF the first year to support the Stormwater Local Assistance Program for projects in localities with municipal separate storm sewer systems. •$19.0 million GF the second year for one-time capital assistance for transit systems. FY 27 and 28 Proposed House Budget FY 27 and 28 Proposed Senate Budget $71.5 Billion assumed to allocate over the biennium $74.1 Billion assumed to allocate over the biennium Restoring Federal Cuts •$79 million health care marketplace premium support •$45 million to restore federal reduction in core public health services •$211 SNAP benefits plus $153 million to fund the increase in SNAP admin costs per H.R. 1, including fully funding localities’costs •$226 million to partially restore proposed cuts to Medicaid and FAMIS Restoring Federal Cuts •$200 million health care marketplace premium support •$135 million SNAP benefits Education •2% pay raise each year of biennium for teachers •$400 million in one-time flexible spending support for K-12 in FY27 (may carryover) •$160 million in additional special education support •$127 million additional for school construction grants ($347 million total); Paused loans due to lack of activity Education •3% pay raise each year of biennium for teachers and state employees •$274 million for school construction grants •$118 million increase for at risk add on •$17.6 million to increase school breakfast reimbursement •$13 million to increase the special education add on by 1% •$1.3 million for JLARC study of school funding formula State Employees •2% pay raise for state employees •2% pay raise each year for state supported local employees State Employees •3% pay raise state employees •2% pay raise each year for state supported local employees FY 27 and 28 Proposed House Budget FY 27 and 28 Proposed Senate Budget Childcare •$137 million for additional childcare subsidy slots •$25 million childcare pilot program that would require employer match Childcare •$137 million for additional Child Care Subsidy Program slots •$50 million for childcare pilot program that would require employer match Housing •$87.5 million Housing Trust Fund •$25 million to establish revolving loan fund for mixed-income housing •$17 million for eviction prevention Housing •$50 million for Housing Trust Fund •$20.6 million of that amount to a two-year pilot for acquisition, construction, or improvement of mixed-income housing •$13 million in eviction prevention Transit •$153 million for Metro in Northern Virginia (Includes 1% increase in transient occupancy tax for their region) •$300,000 for HRT study Transit •$206 million for Metro in Northern Virginia (including a 1% increase in the region's transient occupancy tax) Legislator Salaries •Raises legislator salaries to $45,000/year Legislator Salaries •$2.1 million the second year for an increase in salary for state legislators to $50,000 Taxes •No tax increases, including expanding the sales tax Taxes •No tax increases, including expanding the sales tax •Eliminates $1.1 billion in tax exemptions for data centers •Provides $100/$200 tax rebates •Increases the standard deduction to $9,200/$18,400 8 Budget - Labor Impacts Provides $20.0 million in fiscal year 2027 to fund the start-up costs associated with collective bargaining including the establishment of the Public Employee Relations Board and Virginia Home Care Authority Provides $14.5 million over the biennium to cover the cost of raising the minimum wage for state employees, constitutional offices, and home health care workers Provides $11.1 million in fiscal year 2028 to provide paid sick leave to personal care attendants funded by Medicaid and the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services Authorizes a treasury loan for the Virginia Employment Commission to establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave program Start-up costs estimated at $116.5 million over two years 9 Legislation with Fiscal Impact SB 378 Surovell HB 1263 Tran Collective Bargaining for Public Employees •SB 378 passed Senate 21-19 •HB 1263 passed House 61-35 HB 569 Feggans SB 518 Rouse Requires prevailing wage for public works projects •HB 569 passed House 62-35 •SB 518 passed Senate 20-19 HB 5 Convirs-Fowler SB 199 Favola Requires one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for all employees. Delayed effective date of July 1, 2027 •Passed House 63-35 •SB199 passed Senate 21-19 SB 2 Boysko HB1207 Establishes a mandatory paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2029. Premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2028 •SB2 passed Senate 21-19 •HB1207 passed House 62-34 10 Revenue Streams SB 661 Rouse HB 1272 Hayes Skill Games authorization and tax $800/per month per machine tax – 15% to local government where machine is located •SB 661 Passed Senate 24-14 •HB1272 Passed House 52-41-2 SB 542 Aird SB 826 Lucas HB 642 Krizek Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth SB542 and HB642 provides for an additional 1% - 3.5% sales tax SB826 requires an additional 3% sales tax •SB542 passed Senate 21- 19 •HB642 passed House 65- 32 HB 334 Rasoul SB 66 McPIke SB 607 Lucas Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. •HB334 passed House 70- 28 •SB 66/607 left in Finance 11 Land Use Legislation HB 804 Helmer SB 488 VanValkenburg Requires localities to increase their total housing stock by at least 7.5% over the five-year period •HB 804 passed 63-35 and referred to Local Government •SB 488 stricken by patron HB 611 Cohen SB 531 Srinivasan Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for single- family residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units •HB 611 Continued to 2027 •SB 531 passed Senate 21-19 HB 816 Helmer SB 454 VanValkenburg Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinance allowing for by- right development of multifamily residential uses on at least 75 percent of all land contained in commercial or business zoning districts •HB 816 passed 64-35 •SB 454 passed 21-19 HB 1279 J. Cole SB 388 McPike "Faith in Housing" , allows for the development and construction of housing on land owned by religious organizations or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations •HB 1279 passed 60-36; referred to Local Gov't •SB 388 passed 21-18 HB 888 Shin Sets limits on minimum parking requirements in designated areas where residents have mass transit access •Passed 61-37 12 Discussion