Virginia lawmakers to return to Richmond to resume budget process left unfinished

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia lawmakers will be returning to Richmond to continue budget talks after they failed to reach an agreement during the standard General Assembly session.

In late April, state legislators will head back to the state capitol to complete the 2026-28 budget they left unfinished at the end of the 2026 Regular Session, according to a March 20 proclamation from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

The budget in question is meant to fund Virginia's government for the next two fiscal years, starting on July 1.

Throughout the budget process, there was a significant amount of infighting. A key disagreement between the Senate and the House of Delegates involves data centers and the billions of dollars in tax breaks their developers currently receive.

It's this back-and-forth that prevented legislators from passing a budget before the 2026 Regular Session's end on Saturday, March 14.

This Special Session on the budget will begin on Thursday, April 23.

Under Virginia's constitution, the sitting governor has the power to order a Special Session of the General Assembly if, in their opinion, "the interest of the Commonwealth may require" such a session to take place.