Va. lawmakers to work on new state budget in special session after deal with Youngkin

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia lawmakers will start over on the state budget after reaching an agreement with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, setting the scene for a special session in May to work on a new spending plan, per multiple sources.

The General Assembly is meeting in Richmond to consider Youngkin’s vetoes and amendments to the legislation and the state’s budget plans for the current fiscal year and the next two fiscal years.

“The budget right now has basically blown up,” WAVY’s Andy Fox reported after the news just broke.

Democrats and Youngkin (R) were at odds over the governor’s proposed overhaul of the new two-year spending plan, which included 233 amendments. One of the major roadblocks had to do with Youngkin’s amendments that would effectively ban skill games in the commonwealth. Owners of hundreds of convenience stores that have benefited from skill games have protested the governor’s amendments and were in Richmond on Wednesday.

Lawmakers will move to find Youngkin’s budget amendments are not specific and severable, a motion to kill them. With Democrats in the majority of both chambers of the General Assembly, they have the votes to move forward with the motion.

The General Assembly will then adjourn without sending a budget bill to Youngkin, 8News was told, effectively killing the proposed spending plan. The move will set up a special session to work on the budget.

“Then we come back for a special session in May,” one lawmaker told WRIC.

A spokesman for Youngkin did not respond to a text seeking comment. The Washington Post first reported that lawmakers struck a deal with Youngkin on finding a path towards a new state budget.

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