RICHMOND, VA ̶ 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 my budget amendments have been included in the proposed House budget,” said Landes. These amendments reflect my commitment to economic development, providing high-quality education for Virginia’s students, and increasing healthcare access, affordability and choice. I am also pleased to note the inclusion of my cost saving amendments as well.”
The following amendments offered by Del. Landes have been included in the proposed House budget, which was presented today:
- Item #88 1h directs the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry to convene a stakeholders group to review state and local regulations governing Virginia farm wineries and report any recommendations resulting from such a review by November 30, 2017.
- Item 129 #3h restores funding through a general fund increase of $248,772 from the general fund in the first year to the See Virginia First program.
- Item 129 #4h restores funding through a general fund increase of $65,006 the first year to the See Virginia First program.An amendment providing $300,000 for operating support for the Frontier Culture Museum.
- Item 306 #1h allocates an additional 144 Family and Individual Support waiver slots bringing the total number of additional FIS slots to 344 in FY 2018.
- Item 364 #5h utilizes $8.3 million dollars from the Virginia Water Quality Reserve Fund for the Virginia Natural Resources Commitment Fund and appropriates them for distribution in the second year for agricultural best management practices cost share program activities. Of the total, the amount reserved for technical assistance matches the share established in Chapter 780 for fiscal year 2017.
- An amendment was included in the Capital 6-year plan and places the project in line for future funding to plan for a new museum gallery at the Frontier Culture Museum.
- An amendment provides $742,000 in general funds and $742,000 in non-general funds for Medicaid fraud prevention and prepayment analytics to fund House Bill 2417, also sponsored by Del. Landes.
- An amendment states that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia shall establish a policy for granting undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have taken one or more Advanced Placement, Cambridge Advanced (A/AS), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate examinations by August 1, 2017. The policy shall: outline the conditions necessary for each public institution of higher education to grant course credit, including the minimum required scores on such examinations; identify the course credit or other academic requirements of each public institution of higher education that the student satisfies by achieving the minimum required scores on such examinations; and ensure that the grant of course credit is consistent across each public institution of higher education and each such examination. The Council and each public institution of higher education shall make the policy available to the public on its website.
Additionally, the following cost savings amendments offered by Del. Landes were included in the proposed House budget, including language barring Medicaid expansion:
- An amendment eliminates funding of $4.5 million from the general fund the second year for a statewide gap analysis of the community mental health system in the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources.
- An amendment restoring language contained in Chapter 840, 2016 Acts of Assembly which prohibits Medicaid payment of overtime for consumer-directed personal assistance, respite and companion services. In addition, language authorizing overtime beginning July 1, 2017 is eliminated along with funding of $8.5 million from the general fund and $8.5 million from the nongeneral fund.
- Item 306 #2h restores language contained in Chapter 780, 2016 Acts of Assembly which conditions expansion of Medicaid pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) upon an appropriation by the General Assembly. Language is eliminated which provides authority to expand Medicaid pursuant to the PPACA on or after October 1, 2017. A companion amendment in Part 4 eliminates any language changes which would allow for such an expansion without an appropriation by the General Assembly.
- Item 4-5.03 #1h restores language that prohibits agencies from altering factors which may increase the number of eligible recipients for its authorized services or payments, or altering factors which may increase the unit cost of benefit payments within its authorized services unless the General Assembly has made an appropriation for the cost of such change. In addition, it eliminates a change to allow for such changes if the General Assembly gives it authorization.
Landes represents the 25th House District, which includes parts of Albemarle, Augusta, and Rockingham Counties. Landes is currently serving his eleventh term in the Virginia House of Delegates. Visit SteveLandes.com for additional information.