RICHMOND — At an event in the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond Monday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that he prepared 205 budget line amendments and eight item vetoes to the General Assembly’s proposed budget amendments.

Youngkin stressed that despite potential cuts at the federal level, Virginia’s economy remains strong. The budget plan keeps in place $1.1 billion in tax relief through one-time tax rebates and an increase in standard deductions. Still, part of his economic plan redirects $300 million to the state’s rainy day fund.

“Anyone who believes that significant change doesn’t come with near-term uncertainty hasn’t been through significant change,” he said, noting the General Assembly has formed special committees to consider the potential impact of cuts.

“I am confident that they will agree that our amendment package, that brings together tax relief for Virginians who need it with continued record investment in critical areas while increasing our reserves, not overburdening future years with too much program spending and not taking on incremental debt, will in combination position Virginia to stand strong going forward,” he said.

Youngkin acknowledged that there may be painful “economic dislocation” as a result of sweeping cuts to federal programs and the workforce, but said they were necessary to restore fiscal discipline at the federal level.

In odd years, the governor and legislature propose an amendment to the existing biennial budget. Youngkin put forward an initial budget proposal in January to amend last year’s two-year spending plan. The Senate and House each made their own changes to that proposal, and then a conference budget amendment between them was sent back to the governor. He had until the end of Monday to veto or amend line items.

One item Youngkin reintroduced to the budget, which the Democrat-controlled legislature had removed, is a provision that would preclude localities from receiving state funding if they do not comply with federal immigration authorities.

“I think (the General Assembly) should include it,” Youngkin told reporters. “Northern Virginia has not cooperated. Fairfax County keeps saying, ‘We’re not going to cooperate with ICE.’”

On tax relief, though Youngkin initially favored credits to offset Virginia’s car tax, he kept in place a Democrat-backed proposal to issue one-time tax rebates and increase the standard tax deductions.

Youngkin also reintroduced funding for a school voucher program and for lab schools. The school voucher program would provide scholarships to attend private schools for 5,000 students. The $25 million provision is pared down from his initial ask of $50 million for the program. Similarly, the governor reduced his initial request for $25 million for lab schools, which was absent from the conference budget, to $15 million this time around.

The governor said he also planned to introduce a line amendment that would create a gaming commission to regulate gambling. The House version of the budget contained a provision that created a gaming commission, but that language was removed from the final conference budget.

Youngkin’s amendment package includes an additional $55 million for affordable access to higher education, and he suggested that he would also add in a cap on tuition increases to no more than 2.5% a year. He also touted an additional $60 million in tuition waivers toward the Virginia’s Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program.

Youngkin also had until the end of Monday to act on bills passed by the General Assembly this year. Last week he signed more than 300 bills, but he was expected to veto some legislation.

The governor’s package of budget amendments also includes funding for maternal health measures like the maternal mobile health hub, an initiative he said would be funded by moving its funding from the Department of Health to the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Youngkin said he also restored funding for doula services — the $1 million in increased funds for doulas and community health workers was increased in the House version of the bill, but ultimately didn’t make it into the conference version.

Youngkin also said he would reintroduce a $5.4 million increase, down from $6.8 million in the initial ask and absent from the legislature’s versions of the budget, to go toward school resource officers.

The General Assembly will reconvene April 2 to vote on the line-item amendments as well as other legislative actions. It takes a simple majority in the legislature for the governor’s line-item amendments to be approved, and a two-thirds majority to overturn any line-item vetoes.

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