Gov. Tim Kaine on Monday proposed a handful of newexpenditures for the state’s two-year budget that will cost an additional $8.9 million, including millions for a Shenandoah Valley research center and Civil War site preservation grants.
The Democratic governor said he has finished signing or vetoing the nearly 900 bills passed this year by the General Assembly, which will consider Kaine’s actions April 23. Most of the dozens of amendments Kaine added to some legislation represented minor tweaks, according to the governor, though a top Republican legislator said some of the changes to the budget could spark debate.
“We’re just getting these things for the first time and haven’t had a chance to analyze what they are and what the impact may be,” said Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, on the amendments.
One spending item adds some $4 million over 2009 and 2010 in incentives for SRI International, a nonprofit research institute that operates one of its major facilities in Harrisonburg. The money will go toward recruiting researchers.
Kaine also devoted about $5 million to the Civil War Historic Site Preservation Fund, which will be used to offer grants to private nonprofits to preserve endangered Civil War sites, among other spending items.
The expenditures are paid for through the state’s unappropriated reserve, which still has about $9 million left in it, said Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey.
One point of contention is a measure that adds less expensive, generic versions of behavioral health drugs to Medicaid’s preferred drug list, which is expected to save the state $1.5 million over two years.
“These are exactly the same drugs, they’re just generic drugs,” Hickey said.
Hamilton, however, said the legislature has historically been reluctant to put the anti-depressant and anti-psychotic drugs, which are a significant part of the state’s strategy for treating mental health, on the list.
“Once a physician finds the regimen that works … you don’t want to have to use the generic that may or may not have the same reaction,” Hamilton said. “We just haven’t been willing to take a chance with those folks.”
