Both the Virginia House and Senate agreed to delay election of judges until Thursday as budget wrangling continues.
The schedule for the General Assembly session required a vote on an extension of time if agreement was not reached on the filling of judicial vacancies by today.
Explaining the delay, Sen. Tommy Norment, R-Williamsburg, said there was concern that judges might be elected to positions left unfunded in the budget process.
Norment told Senators the judiciary budget has been cut “approximately an additional $2 million,” so he was concerned “it’s a little premature” to elect judges.
Despite the worries over unfunded judgeships, both Norment in the Senate and Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, in the House expressed hope for budget agreement by the end of the regular session on Saturday.
Norment said he was “effusively optimistic” about prospects for a budget.
