Virginia Governor Spanberger Sends Budget Back to Lawmakers with 14 Amendments Amid Shutdown Threat

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger sent the state's two-year budget back to the General Assembly with 14 proposed amendments. The move came as Virginia faced the threat of its first-ever government shutdown. Spanberger, who was sworn in as Virginia's first female governor on January 17, 2026, had inherited the budget framework from outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin, whose proposal included a $72 billion general fund as part of a $212 billion two-year spending plan. Among Spanberger's proposed changes were provisions for cancer screenings for firefighters and earlier implementation of salary increases for home care workers. The General Assembly had until Tuesday to accept or reject the governor's amendments. Spanberger has stated she looks forward to working with lawmakers on priorities including lowering costs for residents and investing in public schools. The outcome of the General Assembly's vote on the 14 amendments is not specified in available reporting, nor is it confirmed whether the shutdown threat was ultimately averted. Additional details of the amendments beyond the firefighter screenings and home care worker pay provisions, as well as the specific timeline connecting the December budget inheritance to the June amendment submission, remain unclear from the available sources.