RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia lawmakers will return to Richmond in August for a special session to decide how to spend more than $4.3 billion in federal coronavirus relief funding.

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam has set the special legislative session for Aug. 2. In addition to deciding how to spend the American Rescue Plan funding, lawmakers will be filling judicial vacancies.

Northam and Democratic legislators have already established priorities for the federal windfall. Those include education and modernizing public school buildings, funding an economic recovery program, boosting affordable housing, helping small businesses and affected workers, upgrading state and public health services, and ensuring universal broadband access within 18 months.