Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell vetoed four measures passed by the General Assembly this year and sent down 86 amendments to the state’s two-year budget plan, giving state lawmakers a bunch to chew on before they return to act on his proposals on April 6. McDonnell vetoed measures that would have mandated 150 minutes of physical education per week for K-8 students, likening it to an unfunded mandate on localities, and another that would increase the limit on medical malpractice awards from $2 million to $3 million over 20 years.
He also vetoed a measure that would have increased civil penalties issued by the Department of Environmental Quality and another that would allow the state’s water control board to fine people who withdraw more than a million gallons of water in a single month for crop irrigation if they don’t report the amount.
The governor also offered amendments to a high-profile measure that would extend insurance coverage to autistic children ages 2 to 6. One would require the Board of Medicine to license behavior analysts, who oversee autism treatment. Another would nullify the entire law if a Virginia court strikes down the $35,000 annual cap on benefits.
“We’ve been able to work out 90 percent of everything,” said Teresa Champion with the Virginia Autism Project. “We’ve been working on this bill for a long time.”
Champion, though, was sharply critical of the amendment that would kill the law if the cap on benefits was struck down, likening the proposal to a “self-destruct” clause that would allow a judge to legislate from the bench.
Also among McDonnell’s budget amendments are measures that would eliminate state funding for public broadcasting and increase allocations to the state’s retirement system, which faces a $17.6 billion shortfall.
The governor will try again to create a 401(k)-style pension plan for state employees — a proposal lawmakers struck down earlier this year.
The amendments also include money for economic development and public safety. All told, McDonnell said the amendments would cost $43.8 million, to be offset by $49.9 million in savings or additional revenue.
