Del. Landes amendments included in proposed House budget

Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Weyers Cave, today highlighted his budget amendments included in the proposed House budget.

“I am pleased to announce that a number of budget amendments I introduced have been included in the proposed House budget. These amendments reflect my commitment to economic development and providing high-quality education for Virginia’s students. I am also pleased to note the inclusion of my cost saving amendments as well,” said Landes. “I did object to, and was disappointed by, the inclusion of Medicaid expansion in our budget, as well as a provider tax on hospitals.”

The following amendments offered by Del. Landes have been included in the proposed House budget, which was presented today:

• Item 65 #1h increases funding of $64,216 from the general fund and 1 FTE each year of the biennium for the Division of Selected Agency Support to administer incentives programs in conjunction with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) as a result of moving certain small business development incentive programs to VEDP that were formally managed by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.
• Item 65 #2h creates the Office of Small Business Assistance and Certification within the Secretariat of Administration and transfers funding of $3,313,863 from the general fund in the first year and $3,063,863 from the general fund in the second year and 24 FTE’s, and $1,592,572 from the nongeneral fund in the first year and $1,592,572 from the nongeneral fund in the second year and 17 FTE’s for current certification operations and processes.
• Item 90 #2h, provides $125,000 to the Beehive Grant Fund in each year of the biennium. The General Assembly established the program in 2012 to increase the honey bee population in Virginia.

• Item 98 #1h adds $100,000 from the general fund in each year of the biennium to support the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute.
• Item 103 #3h transfers the current balances of small business incentives for the Small Business Investment Grant Fund of $819,753 from the general fund each year of the biennium budget and the Small Business Jobs Grant Fund of $325,000 from the nongeneral fund in the first year to the Economic Development Incentives funds portion of the budget.
• Item 122 #3h transfers the personnel costs for the Directors of the Small Business Investment Grant Fund and the Small Business Jobs Grant Fund, both of which are currently located in the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and provides funding resources of $305,653 from the general fund each year of the biennium for two positions to manage these incentives fund programs. Companion budget amendments transfer the resources of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, including the small business certification programs, to the Secretariat of Administration, and others to the Economic Development Incentives segments of the budget.
• Item 195 #1h requests an additional $4 million in general fund to enhance research and development of the focused ultrasound center at the University of Virginia.
• Item 275 #2h requires the Department of Taxation to provide, at the beginning of an audit, detailed information on the audit process and tax policies that are being examined.
• Item 303 #8h adds funding and language in the second year to provide a 1% rate increase for agency and consumer-directed personal services in the Medicaid program; $4,925,062 in general funds and $4,925,062 in nongeneral funds.
• Item 329 #1h adds language requiring the Aging and Rehabilitative Services to convene a workgroup of relevant stakeholders to evaluate combining the Extended Employments Services (EES) and Long Term Employment Services (LTESS) programs and associated funding into one program.
• Item 340 #2h adds language directing the Department of Social Services to develop, publish and maintain information on curricula and professional development information for child care professionals participating in the child care subsidy program. This is a recommendation from the 2017 Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission report, Improving Virginia’s Early Childhood Development Programs.
• Item 362 #2h provides funding to phase-in the hiring of two additional field engineers at the Department of Conservation and Recreation to support the continued need for engineering assistance to design and install best management practices across Virginia’s 47 local soil and water conservation districts.

Additionally, the following cost savings amendments offered by Del. Landes were included in the proposed House budget which would save $39,026,059.00 in general funds and $26,911,123.00 in nongeneral funds:

• Item 58 #1h, decreases the nongeneral fund appropriation for the Regulatory, Consumer Advocacy, Litigation, and Enforcement Revolving Trust Fund from $1.25 million to $750,000 each year which is consistent with the funding included in Chapter 836 for fiscal year 2018.
• Item 106 #1h, eliminates language establishing the Virginia Grocery Investment Fund and reduces funding $3,750,000 from the general fund the first year and $3,750,000 from the general fund the second year.
• Item 120, #2h removes current funding levels for small business certification operations and processes and small business incentive grants from the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity of $4,439,269 from the general fund in the first year and $4,189,269 from the general fund in the second year and 26 FTE’s, and $2,899,301 from the nongeneral fund in the first year and $2,574,301 from the nongeneral fund in the second year and 24 FTE’s. In addition, there are companion amendments submitted that transfer these responsibilities to the Secretariat of Administration and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
• Item 120 #3h eliminates the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity. Companion budget amendments have been submitted that transfer the Department’s responsibilities and resources to Item 65, Item 103, and Item 122.
• Item 126 #1h eliminates language for a tourism development initiative and reduces funding of $150,000 from the general fund the first year and $150,000 from the general fund the second year.
• Item 135 #3h saves $480,000 each year from the general fund by eliminating the new cyber camp initiative.
• Item 135 #4h saves $500,000 each year from the general fund by eliminating the new principal retention and recruitment salary bonus allocation.
• Item 135 #5h saves $100,000 each year from the general fund by maintaining the fiscal year 2018 funding for the Project Discovery initiative.
• Item 303 #3h eliminates the authorization and funding contained in the introduced budget for the Department of Medical Assistance Services to pay overtime compensation to consumer directed attendants in the Medicaid waivers; $9,609.223 from the general fund and $9,609.223 from the nongeneral fund. Agency-directed care is not paid additional funding for overtime costs so this amendment maintains parity and ensures a level playing field in the marketplace.
• Item 303 #6h eliminates $500,000 each year from the general fund and $500,000 each year from nongeneral funds for the Department of Medical Assistance Service to pay for training of consumer directed attendants.
• Item 303 #7h eliminates $9,828,298 from the general fund and $9,828,298 from the nongeneral fund and language contained in the introduced budget for the proposed 2% rate increase for consumer-directed personal care, respite and companion services. A companion amendment reallocates funding in the second year for a 1.0 percent rate increase for both agency directed and consumer personal care.

Landes represents the 25^th House District, which includes parts of Albemarle, Augusta, and Rockingham Counties. Landes is currently serving his twelfth term in the Virginia House of Delegates. Visit SteveLandes.com for additional information.