Landes amendments included in House budget

Del. Steve Landes, Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, highlighted his amendments included in the proposed House budget.

“Last week I announced on the House floor that our budget would include funding for a five percent teacher pay raise. That is one piece of a robust package for public education that increases funding by $155 million. Most importantly, however, we are providing flexibility for localities by increasing the amount of lottery money returned to the schools with no strings attached,” said Landes. “Our budget returns 45 percent of lottery money to localities, a $70 million increase from the adopted budget. The General Assembly has provided over $2 billion in increased funding for public education since the great recession and we will continue to build on those investments this year.

The following amendments offered by Del. Landes have been included in the proposed House budget, which was presented today and voted on by the Appropriations Committee 21 to 0:

• Item 84.30 #1h provides that not later than December 31, 2019, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency shall begin conducting new competitive procurements for data, voice and video network services and equipment. Priority shall be given to those existing contracts for which competitive procurements have not been conducted within the past three years. Such procurements may provide for multiple optional-use contract awards for the same or similar types of services and equipment so that state and local agencies and institutions may have choice in their technology procurement decisions.
• Item 103 #2h restores level funding $1,000,000 from the general fund in the second year for the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
• Item 143 #1h provides an additional $75,000 in general funds to conduct an annual education-related summit bringing together legislators, national and regional policy experts, education leaders and stakeholder to be hosted by a partner organization.
• Item 232 #1, 2 & 3h provides an additional $250,000 in general funds to upgrade safety and security on the agency property; update and expand information technology infrastructure; and improve retention and recruitment of wage-hour employees for the Frontier Culture Museum.
• Item 362 #4h provides an additional $400,000 appropriation in the Soil and Water Conservation District Dam Maintenance, Repair and Rehabilitation Fund to provide for the purchase and installation of remote monitoring equipment for all District-owned high and significant hazard dams. Impacts of Hurricane Michael and other significant rainfall events have highlighted the need for remote monitoring of District-owned dams which are typically located in remote locations, making it difficult for District staff to monitor the dams during storms.
• Item 451 #5h requires VDOT to redirect $5.0 million the second year from existing maintenance funding to enhance safety service patrol services across the Commonwealth’s Interstate system. Studies indicate that 16% of all Interstate delays are caused by incidents, and on Interstate 81 that share increases to 51%. Safety Service Patrol Services provide substantial improvements in clearing incident-related delays.
• Item C-44.20 #6h provides an additional $4,000,000 in general funds for a planning supplement for the construction of the Crossing Gallery at the Frontier Culture Museum.
• Item C-48.10 #3h requests $132,500,000 in general fund to support the Alderman Library Renewal project at the University of Virginia. The Capital Outlay Pool included an additional $678,380,000 in funding for projects including Alderman Library.
• $1,000,000 in funding for the University of Virginia’s Focused Ultrasound Center was maintained in the House budget.

Additionally, the following cost savings amendments offered by Del. Landes were included in the proposed House budget which would save $8,010,000 in general funds.

• Item 62 #1h eliminates $1.5 million from the general fund in funding proposed in the introduced budget, in fiscal year 2020, for outreach and community outreach efforts.
• Item 292 #1h- Eliminate $795,000 in funds for Eastville Community Health Center.
• Item 293 #3h eliminates $1.2 million from the general fund the second year and language requiring the Department of Health to contract for obstetrical services at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital.
• Item 347.10 #1h eliminates $4,250,000 in funding and language for the purchase and storage of supplies to stand up a state-run emergency shelter.
• Item 363 #10h removes $125,000 the second year and 1 position from DCR that had been included in House Bill 1700 as introduced to support the Virginia Great Valley Lewis and Clark Eastern Legacy Trail project. No language accompanied the new initiative proposal in House Bill 1700.
• Item 468 #1h removes $140,000 the second year in general funds and one position proposed in the Governor’s introduced budget for the Department of Veterans Services to hire an additional deputy director.

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.