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2026 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Committee Approved)

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Modify Third Trooper School Timing

Item 416 #1s

Item 416 #1s

First Year - FY2027 Second Year - FY2028
Public Safety and Homeland Security
Department of State Police FY2027 ($20,641,375) FY2028 $0 GF

Language
Page 494, line 46, strike "$449,184,302" and insert "$428,542,927".

Page 494, strike lines 41 through 44.

Page 496, after line 37, insert:

"T. 1. The Department of Planning and Budget shall unallot $16,131,100 of the amounts provided in this Item from the general fund in the first year until the Department of State Police has submitted the following information related to its projected budget deficit to the Director, Department of Planning and Budget, and Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, including, for each fiscal year from fiscal year 2016 through fiscal year 2025: (i) a comparison of appropriations and expenditures categorized by payroll and non-payroll including fund source; (ii) the number and rate of vacancies, noting the denominator used to calculate the vacancy rate; (iii) the average salary at the Department, categorized by sworn and civilian positions, and total amounts spent pursuant to the Workforce Transition Act; and (iv) the estimated vacancy savings, including the methodology used to calculate such savings.

2. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Department shall meet quarterly with the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, or his designee, the Secretary of Public Safety & Homeland Security, or his designee, and the Staff Directors of the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, or their designees, to provide updates that include the following information for the current fiscal year to date: (i) for each paragraph in the appropriation act that designates funding for a specific purpose, a detailed description of how the amounts are being spent; (ii) estimated vacancy savings, including the methodology used to calculate such vacancy savings; (iii) hours and amounts spent on overtime, categorized by type of event; (iv) amounts spent pursuant to the Workforce Transition Act; and (v) any remaining projected budget deficit, including actions identified to address the budget deficit, if applicable.
3. From the amounts in this Item, the Department shall transfer necessary amounts to the Department of Planning and Budget for the Department of Planning and Budget to contract with an independent entity to conduct a comprehensive audit of the the Department of State Police's budget, identify the causes for the budget deficit for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 that was identified in fall 2025, and recommend actions for improving budget execution, internal cost controls, and organizational structure. Based on the results of the audit, the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State Police, the Department of Planning and Budget, and the Secretary of Finance, shall submit a report describing the actions the Department plans to undertake to avoid future budget deficits to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than November 1, 2026.
4. The Department may not take any action that changes the agency's pay structure, including, but not limited to, increasing compensation for a category of employees, without the approval of the Director, Department of Planning and Budget, who, before approving the requested compensation increase, shall (i) certify that the Department has sufficient funding in its base budget to accommodate the salary increase; and (ii) notify the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, or their designees.

U. The Department of State Police shall conduct an analysis of its filled and authorized staffing levels and provide options for staffing levels, including an analysis of mission coverage and costs for each staffing level option, and provide the anaylsis and options to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than December 1, 2026."



Explanation

(This amendment reduces by $20.6 million GF the first year the amount proposed in the introduced budget for the Virginia State Police (VSP), bringing the total appropriation increase for the Department to $32.3 million GF the first year and $61.5 million GF the second year. The reduction reflects a delay of the third trooper school funded in the budget until FY 2028, to allow time for the Department to additional information on personnel expenditures and staffing level options. Language establishes reporting requirements that VSP must meet in order for the Department of Planning and Budget to allot $16.1 million GF of the $32.3 million GF provided in the first year for their operations. In light of the Department's projected budget deficit, the reporting requirements relate to VSP's historical levels of expenditures, personnel, compensation, and vacancy savings. Beginning July 1, 2026, the language requires VSP to meet quarterly with specified individuals to detail year-to-date spending. The amendment also requires VSP, through the Department of Planning and Budget, to contract with an independent entity to conduct a comprehensive audit of their budget and for the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to submit a report based on the results of the audit no later than November 1, 2026. Finally, the language restricts VSP from changing the agency's pay structure without approval from the Director of Department of Planning and Budget, who must first certify that sufficient funding is available in VSP's base budget. Language also removes the authority proposed in the introduced budget for VSP to use nongeneral fund balances to cover general fund oeprating shortfalls.)