The Virginia General Assembly recently passed the biennial state budget amendments in both the House of Delegates and the Senate.
As in accordance with tradition, the houses have exchanged their proposed bills and are currently in the process of reviewing and debating the other's suggested amendments.
Later this week, conferees will be selected from the General Assembly to review each house's proposed amendments. By early next week, the conferees will work to bridge the gap between the two amended versions of the bill.
The conferees will be selected from both houses and will be predominately senior Assembly members.
In the past Del. John Chichester, R-Fairfax, and Del. Vincent Callahan R-Fairfax served as conferees. Del. John Joannou, D-Norfolk, could be selected to represent the Democrats during the conferee's deliberations, Del. Harry Parish, R-Prince William said.
There has been little contention this year between the House's and Senate's versions of the biennial budget.
"The House's and Senate's versions are very close," Parrish said. "I look for the session to end very harmoniously this year."
While the two suggested state budgets are very similar in philosophy and focus, there are still a few issues that will require the conferees to establish a middle ground, said Robert Voughn, staff director for the House Appropriations Committee.
"The largest difference is transportation, with a $350 million difference between the two," Voughn said.
There also exists a difference between suggested spending on higher education.
"We're a little different on higher education," Voughn said. "I think the House did better for higher education as a whole."
Another issue that will have to be addressed by the conferees this week is determining to what degree retail tax remittance will affect Virginia retailers.
According to Voughn, the Senate sought to exempt 96 percent of Virginia retailers from remittance, leaving 390 retailers impacted, and the House wanted to eliminate retail remittance all together.
After the differences in the two suggested bills have been resolved, the single budget bill will be sent to Governor Warner for his approval.
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