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Appropriations

Wednesday, March 4, 2026·30m·▶ Watch / Listen

The House Appropriations Committee advanced a wide range of Senate bills, reporting most unanimously while splitting along partisan lines on energy, labor, and healthcare bills. Two bills sponsored by Senator Surovell — a tax whistleblower program and a proposal to redirect a $1.5 billion Virginia 529 plan surplus toward college scholarships — were tabled 22-0 and 21-1 respectively after the chair expressed a desire for further conversations.

Key Actions

·SB2 – Passed By Without DiscussionPassed

+ 15 more actions

Controversies

SB224 – Tax Whistleblower Bill: Chair's deferred position vs. Senator Surovell's advocacy

Senator Surovell argued the bill would give Virginians the same incentive to report tax fraud in Virginia that they have to report federal income tax fraud, citing $300 to $400 billion in annual tax cheating nationally. The unnamed chair, while not explicitly opposing the bill on the record, stated he had expressed 'some of my concerns' in a prior phone call with the senator and wished to have further conversation with both the senator and the Department of Taxation before acting. The bill was ultimately tabled 22 to 0.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“There's about a $1.5 billion balance in the Virginia that came out of the Virginia 529 plan. It's just sitting there. It's actually an actuarial. An actuarial surplus. It's generated from two sources. One is excess money is left over from tuition annuity contracts that people bought into on that program they terminated. And secondly, profits from Virginia's 529 plan managing billions of dollars.”

Senator Surovell — Senator Surovell, sponsor of SB375, was explaining to the committee the origin and nature of the $1.5 billion surplus he proposed redirecting toward college scholarships.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Pass by for the day – SB2No Vote
Report – SB47No Vote
Report – SB55No Vote
Accept substitute – SB115No Vote
Report as substituted – SB115No Vote
Pass by for the day – SB224 (first action)No Vote
Report – SB225No Vote
Report – SB261No Vote
Gently lay on the table – SB264 (recorded vote)No Vote
Report – SB271No Vote
Report – SB326No Vote
Gently lay on the table – SB374 (recorded vote)No Vote
Gently lay on the table – SB375 (recorded vote)No Vote
Take off table (reconsider) – SB224No Vote
Gently lay on the table – SB224 (final action, recorded vote)No Vote
Report – SB378No Vote
Move the substitute – SB391No Vote
Report as substituted – SB391No Vote
Report – SB459No Vote
Report – SB518No Vote
Gently lay on the table – SB635 (recorded vote)No Vote
Report – SB673No Vote
Report – SB731No Vote
Report – SB778No Vote
Report – SB794No Vote
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TranscriptPreview
Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for our House Appropriations Committee meeting with the roll call. Please. Okay, thank you. All right. Ms. Kim. Yes, Mr. Chairman. First bill on the docket is Senate Bill 2 from Senator Boisko. I believe, Mr. Chairman, you would wanted to take that one by for the day. Yes. Motion please move to pass by for the day. Second, all those in favor? Thank you. Next, Mr. Chairman, is Senate Bill 47 from Senator Craig. This bill provides that anybody who impersonates a law enforcement officer while committing specified offenses is guilty of a Class 6 felony. Move to report it's been moving in a secondary. We report Senate Bill 47 members, please cast your vote. There'll be a report 22 to 0. Next, Mr. Chairman, is SB55 from Senator Diggs. This prohibits individuals of convicted of specified offenses from being in within 100ft of a playground at a state park. Move to report. Second, it's been moved. And second that we report. Senate Bill 55 members, please cast your vote. That bill reports 22 to 0. Next, Mr. Chairman, is SB115 from Senator Bakarski. There's a substitute. Accept the substitute. All…
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