Dueling budgets in Richmond and more Va. headlines

The State Capitol. (Ned Oliver/ Virginia Mercury)

• “The House of Delegates and Senate have adopted their budgets, but the battle is just beginning over how to bridge a $1 billion gulf between the two chambers, controlled by opposing political parties.” The biggest difference is whether Virginia should adopt further individual and corporate tax cuts.—Richmond Times-Dispatch, Associated Press

• Amazon could have gotten the first incentive payment Virginia offered it as a way to entice the company to build its HQ2 in Pentagon City, but it hasn’t applied for any of the funding.—Washington Business Journal

• Norfolk Southern agreed to pay Virginia a $27,300 fine for an October 2020 train derailment near Salem that caused more than 1,000 tons of coal to spill into the Roanoke River.—Roanoke Times

• A new report found that insurance premiums and deductibles in Virginia rose by roughly 30% between 2015 and 2021.—WVTF

• The Senate almost unanimously backed a proposal to offer mental health instruction in Virginia schools at every grade level. “It’s about recognizing signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, promoting mental health, wellness, and healthy strategies for coping with stress.”—WTOP

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