Lawmakers will return to Richmond Friday to consider a number of budget amendments from the governor. Two of them focus on historically Black colleges and universities.
One of the governor's budget amendments will redirect $5 million that would have gone to financial aid for undocumented students and set it aside for students at HBCUs. Delegate Cliff Hayes of Chesapeake is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, and he says it's inappropriate to pit one group against another.
"Taking redirected funds from one financially needs-based student population and redirecting it to our HBCU students who are in much need as well," Hayes says. "We think that's a problem because there's enough funding for us to address both."
A separate amendment takes unallocated money and directs $4 million to increased security at HBCU’s in Virginia; a million dollars each of four different institutions. Delegate Hayes says this year alone, the FBI has identified 57 bomb threats at HBCUs and Black churches.
"That's a situation with an ugly past in this country, where bomb threats and things of that nature are happening on our college campuses and at our Black churches, and that's to stoke fear," Hayes explains.
Lawmakers will vote on the amendments, and then the governor gets to use a line-item veto where he can remove any spending item he doesn't agree with.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
