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General Assembly: Extending the Session...or Special Session?

The probability that the Virginia General Assembly will not complete its work by its scheduled Saturday adjournment has grown to a near-certainty. 

House of Delegates GOP leaders on Tuesday called on the Senate to set aside its version of Medicaid expansion—known as Marketplace Virginia—to speed up passage of what Republicans are calling a “clean budget” without it.  They also proposed a special session just to consider expanding the Medicaid program.

The House GOP said the Senate is holding the budget “hostage” to force passage of its plan.  House Majority Leader Kirk Cox said without that, the House and Senate versions are just $26 million apart.  He said localities, school boards, and others must craft their own budgets and need state budget passage this week. Cox added that the House plan to limit college tuition-hikes to single digits is in jeopardy since college boards will set tuition rates soon.

“If we wait until July 1st, they’ve already had to set tuition.  I can guarantee you, it’s not going to be at three percent, it’s not going to be at four percent. It’s going to be double-digits again, and our college students will suffer.”
 

House Democratic Leader David Toscano, who supports expanding Medicaid, said since federal dollars come with the expansion, it SHOULD be in the budget.  Still, he inquired about what would happen in a special session.

“We’re going to just say no again?  If you can assure us that a special session will be to work out the details of Medicaid expansion—great!  Well, let’s do that!  But we don’t have any assurances about that.”

Both sides said they want to avoid a government shutdown, which could occur if the budget is not passed by June 30th.

 The General Assembly could also extend its Regular Session past Saturday and allow the budget conferees more time to continue to work.