The Virginia House of Delegates Appropriations Committee met today to receive briefings from selected department and agency representatives. When the legislature is not in session, the committee meets at selected times and hears from invited guests on a number of topics related to its work around the Commonwealth's budget. To view the agenda from today's meeting please click here.
Members of the committee were briefed by The Honorable Aubrey L. Layne, Secretary of Finance, on the current state of collected revenue in the Commonwealth for the month of April. In the last month, Layne stated the total General Fund revenues rose 41.9 percent, representing the largest monthly increase in the 21st century. In addition to regular collections of withholding and sales taxes, final payments for the previous tax year and the first estimated payment for the current tax year are due from corporations on April 15. This is the first revenue report that compares results with last year when the coronavirus pandemic took hold and economic shutdowns began. To view the full report from Secretary Layne, please click here. To view a copy of Secretary Layne's presentation to the committee, please click here.
In addition to the April Revenue Report from Secretary Layne, lawmakers were provided a detailed presentation on PreK-12 school reopening by Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James Lane. In his presentation, Dr. Lane provided data on learning loss, an overview of where school divisions have spent CARES Act dollars, and plans for distributing monies from the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Dr. Lane's presentation to the committee can be viewed here.
