GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 1035, which relates to allocating funds for the state of good repair of bridges.

I fully support the use of funding to assist with the maintenance of bridges that risk becoming structurally deficient. However, changing the allocation formula for this funding could result in bridges being overlooked in terms of upkeep and maintenance.

The failure of the legislature to adopt my proposed amendment, which aimed to establish a minimum level of funding for highway construction districts related to the state of good repair funds, is concerning. This minor step would have ensured that often-overlooked regions of the Commonwealth receive a fair share of transportation funding.

I encourage the legislature to reconsider this issue next session and send me a bill that allows for the funding of the maintenance of bridges without creating an imbalance in the geographic distribution of transportation funding.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.

GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

1. Line 26, enrolled, after districts

strike

, with no district receiving

insert

, with no district receiving

2. Line 26, enrolled, after or

strike

the remainder of line 26 and through year. on line 27

insert

less than 5.5 percent of the total funding allocated in any given year.