Transcript Highlights:

• , so they typically receive separate budget hearings.
• the math nets out for us to budget.
• I'm trying, but this is such a huge part of the budget, Mr.
• The department as a whole, and the schools' budget.
• Budget stabilization is another place that you could look, as you guys are making your budget decisions

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation on the K-12 public school support budget, including how support units, career ladder funding, health insurance, discretionary funding, transportation, facilities, and the Public Education Stabilization Fund (PSIF) work. Legislative Services explained that FY 2026 support units were revised downward, creating a $22.3 million ongoing general fund reduction, and walked through the FY 2027 agency request and governor’s recommendation. The governor recommended no increase for population forecast adjustments, but did recommend some statutory and policy changes, including shifting certain interest earnings to the general fund and reducing funding for some virtual school and IDLA-related items. The agency request also included one-time proposals for a high-needs special education fund and a regional service model for related services. Members asked extensive questions about how career ladder dollars are distributed, how health insurance and discretionary funds interact, why the health insurance increase in the budget differed from current plan estimates, and how facilities money under House Bill 292 is used. There were also questions about the size and use of the Idaho Career Ready Students fund, the maintenance-of-effort implications of special education funding, and whether some special education costs are being used for student housing or other noninstructional expenses. The superintendent and budget staff emphasized that many of the budget lines are formula-driven or statutorily required, that local districts determine actual staffing and spending within those formulas, and that special education costs continue to outpace available funding. Superintendent Debbie Critchfield then framed the budget request around enrollment trends, shifting demographics, and the need for more flexibility in how districts use existing dollars. She highlighted proposed categorical flexibility for some funds, changes to digital content and curriculum distribution, continued literacy gains, growth in career technical education programs funded through Idaho Career Ready Students, and the importance of endowment and Millennium Fund support. She also described the special education proposals as a temporary bridge while the state considers larger formula changes and noted a near $100 million gap between special education spending and funding. She further outlined planned federal waiver requests on assessments and flexibility, and said the department is seeking more state control over testing and reporting requirements. The committee did not take final action on the budget during this portion of the meeting. Members raised concerns about interest transfers from dedicated funds, the complexity of the funding formula, special education accountability, and whether the state should revisit the overall school funding model. Several follow-up data requests were made, including information on health insurance participation, regional special education service needs, and school contingency fund balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• But on this budget, on this committee, I want you to stick to the budget. Ms.
• budget, it appears that the budget is going down by $8 million for the Office of Behavioral Health.
• 27% of the budget.
• I'm trying to find out if they got a budget for it. Let's stick with the budget.
• do within your own budget.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation on LSU Health Care Services Division and Lallie Kemp Medical Center. Staff reviewed HCSD’s roughly $74.7 million budget, much of it tied to legacy obligations for former LSU hospital systems and support for Lallie Kemp. Committee members asked about prisoner care, risk management costs, declining admissions and emergency visits, and the hospital’s 340B drug program. Lallie Kemp officials explained that prisoner care serves multiple state and local facilities, that lower admissions largely reflect more patients being placed in observation status, and that the in-house 340B program provides major savings to patients and the prison system. Members also asked about care for unhoused patients and the hospital’s discharge practices, and the hospital said social services works to find placement when possible. The committee then moved to the Louisiana Department of Health budget, which was presented as just under $23.5 billion, with Medicaid making up more than 90 percent of the total. The presentation covered the Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health, Office of Behavioral Health, Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, and Medicaid. Major items included the new Rural Health Transformation Program, the transfer of several functions from DCFS to LDH under the One Door initiative, changes to SNAP administration, and large Medicaid adjustments driven by enrollment, utilization, and federal policy changes. Testimony also highlighted the statewide crisis hub and 988, the commodity food program for seniors, women’s health and maternal outcomes, and the department’s efforts to modernize technology and reorganize services. Members questioned LDH officials on a wide range of budget and policy issues, including the rural health grant, crisis services, Medicaid redeterminations, provider taxes, physician and hospital supplemental payments, nursing home rates, HCBS funding, and the impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. LDH said the rural health grant would support workforce, technology, and care-delivery improvements; that the crisis hub and mobile crisis units are being expanded to improve access and reduce emergency room use; and that the department is working to keep the SNAP error rate below 6 percent to avoid a projected state cost increase. Officials also said they expect to return next year with additional funding requests for HCBS and other programs, while emphasizing that current budget changes are largely meant to realign funding with actual expenditures and new federal requirements. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• If that was to go away, I'm assuming this wouldn't be over the whole budget then.
• Just, you're just, if the, if we started doing individual budgets...
• I don't think anybody in here takes that attitude towards budgeting.
• We have struggled with what a maintenance budget is among the JFAC committee.
• We have struggled with what a maintenance budget is among J-FAC committee.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to give us and motans a stable budget to give us and motans a stable budget that<00:02:20.160><c
• Um, and two of the most challenging budgets for us were the human services budget and the health and
• human services budget.
• :03:24.480><c> and</c> human services budget and the health and human services budget and the health
• And both of the human services budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• relative to the Governor's budget.
• All three years in the budget window remain in test one.
• So those decreases... ...compared to the Governor's budget projections.
• I also want to add that it's not included in the education budget, but on the other side of the budget
• Obviously, this hearing is related to this section of the budget.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Governor’s May Revision TK-12 education proposals, beginning with Proposition 98. The Department of Finance explained that the minimum guarantee rises by about $6.4 billion relative to the January budget across the three-year window, with a total of $124.9 billion in 2024-25, $125.1 billion in 2025-26, and $127.1 billion in 2026-27. Finance also described revised settle-up and reserve actions, including maintaining a $3.9 billion settle-up balance, increasing discretionary deposits into the Prop. 98 reserve, and ending with a projected reserve balance of about $10.3 billion. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the overall estimates were reasonable but urged the state to fully fund the guarantee and use other budget actions or reserves to manage volatility rather than delay settle-up payments. Members questioned the rationale for leaving the $3.9 billion unsettled, and Finance said the amount reflects revenue uncertainty and the risk of overappropriating Prop. 98 if revenues later fall. The committee then reviewed the Department of Education portion of the May Revision. Finance said the budget adds positions and state operations funding for CDE and includes trailer bill changes affecting community schools, preschool, literacy, special education, charter accountability, and other programs. The LAO highlighted concerns and recommendations on several proposals, including the size and structure of the LCFF increase, the special education base-rate increase, additional one-time community schools funding, literacy coach and math professional development augmentations, the multilingual screener, inclusive college grants, homelessness grants, and the proposed paid pregnancy disability leave mandate. CDE supported the special education increase, paid pregnancy leave, community schools, homelessness funding, literacy and math investments, and preschool parity, while urging more support for county offices of education and clearer definitions and implementation details for some programs. Finance said the paid pregnancy leave proposal would cost an estimated $218 million annually and is intended as a recruitment and retention measure. In the Commission on Teacher Credentialing item, Finance proposed funding for legal staffing tied to SB 848 and educator misconduct cases, plus funding and fee changes to support a statewide transcript review platform for subject matter competency and additional support for the residency technical assistance center. The LAO said it had no concerns with the staffing for misconduct and SB 848, recommended the transcript review platform and related fee increase if the platform moves forward, and recommended rejecting the residency technical assistance center expansion because current funding lasts through 2029. CTC said the misconduct workload has grown over the last five to six years and that AI would be used only as a backstop to human review in the transcript system. Public commenters were split, with unions and education groups supporting special education, paid pregnancy leave, community schools, homelessness funding, and literacy investments, while opposing the $3.9 billion settle-up delay and the reduction to preschool COLA.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is related to Washington State's four-year balanced budget requirement and state operating budget
• and legislative enacted budgets.
• the budget.
• For budgets covering these two biennia, the official revenue forecast would be used for both the budget
• We're supporters of budget sustainability legislation, including the four-year balance budget requirement

Summary: The Appropriations Committee held public hearings on several bills and took executive action on House Bill 2747. HB 2747 would change how Washington estimates future revenue in its four-year balanced budget outlooks by using the official revenue forecast instead of the current 4.5% growth assumption for the next two biennia. Staff described the bill as a technical change with indeterminate fiscal effects, and supporters said it would make budgeting more realistic and sustainable. The committee adopted a technical amendment and then reported the bill out of committee with a do pass recommendation by a vote of 26 ayes, 3 nays, and 2 excused. The committee also heard Second Substitute Senate Bill 6182, which would create an abortion savings program funded by a new annual assessment on health carriers offering exchange plans. Staff said the bill would generate about $10 million in fiscal year 2027 and about $2.1 million annually thereafter, with most funds going to grants for abortion care providers and some administrative costs for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and the Department of Health. Supporters said it would stabilize access to abortion care and help low-income patients, while opponents argued it would force taxpayers and insurers to subsidize abortion and raised concerns about oversight, morality, and premium impacts. Substitute Senate Bill 6355, which would create a Washington Electric Transmission Authority to support new transmission projects and related tribal clean energy work, drew testimony from utilities, labor, clean energy advocates, counties, and landowners. Supporters said the state needs faster transmission buildout to improve reliability, support clean energy, and reduce congestion costs; opponents and county representatives raised concerns about eminent domain, loss of local tax revenue, board accountability, and the need for stronger landowner and county involvement. Staff estimated the bill would have a several-million-dollar general fund impact and noted possible indeterminate local revenue effects. The committee also received a briefing on engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6260, which would reduce funding or eligibility for several K-12 programs, including bus depreciation, Running Start, and transition to kindergarten; public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with school officials, educators, community college representatives, students, and rural districts warning of reduced opportunities and harm to small and low-income districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• overview and budget change proposals.
• The 10 Budget Change Proposals (BCPs) that you mentioned.
• Given the state of the budget and moving forward.
• Some of this is on budget, the budget augment.
• We're asking the authority to provide a quick overview of your budget, your budget change proposal, and

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the budget. If the budget goes up, they're collecting more taxes, you're paying more.
• The value of that pot gets bigger when you divide it by that budget, even if the budget goes up.
• It's the budget. If the budget goes up, they're collecting more taxes, you're paying more.
• The value of that pot gets bigger when you divide it by that budget, even if the budget goes up.
• We have budget hearings and so forth.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• So this morning, I'm pleased to present the budget proposal for the Aga Natural Resources Budget Committee
• We've heard Speaker Perez comment on having a fiscally conservative budget, and this budget is certainly
• The Speaker and Chair McClure asked that the budget subcommittee take a deep dive into the budget to
• In building this year's budget recommendations, we first reviewed the base budget and began looking at
• overall proposed budget total $6.4 billion, ...budget subcommittee overall proposed budget total $6.4

Summary: The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee met to consider three bills before moving to its budget presentation. HB 843, relating to Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trust funds, was explained as a set of clarifying changes to improve budget flexibility, including use of certain trust funds for law enforcement and other conservation-related purposes. After questions about whether the bill would shift resources away from conservation, an amendment removed the sections dealing with the Administrative Trust Fund and the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund. The amended bill received support in public testimony and was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 295, which directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan by 2026 based on prior recycling recommendations. Supporters, including students involved in an “Ought to Be a Law” program and representatives from the waste and recycling industry, said the bill would create a roadmap for improving recycling and waste diversion. An opponent argued the state should instead enact more direct statutory changes on issues such as food waste, yard waste, and manure handling rather than study them further. Members praised the student participation and the bill passed. HB 339, creating a temporary alternative credentialing pathway for surveyors and mappers, was presented as a response to workforce shortages and an aging profession. The sponsor said the bill would help meet demand while preserving oversight, and an amendment added a four-year work requirement and adjusted renewal provisions. After brief supportive debate, the amended bill passed. The subcommittee then received its Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposal, which emphasized spending reductions, vacant-position cuts, and a smaller overall budget than the current year while still funding water resources, Everglades restoration, resiliency, land management, cleanup programs, agriculture facilities, and other projects. Members closed by thanking the chair for an inclusive budget process, and the meeting adjourned after a motion to rise.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> impact through strategic budgeting impact through strategic budgeting rigorous<00:02:18.920><c>
• So today we will provide information on our total budget and our budgeting process, how we develop our
• So today we will provide information on our total budget and our budgeting process, how we develop our
• </c> agency often approves line item budgets agency often approves line item budgets for<00:09:28.880
• as part of the budgeting process.

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• the department's total budget.
• The department is budgeted to spend about $18.5 million of their budget in the other charges category
• Other charges are budgeted to expend $44.8 million. They are budgeted to expend $44.8 million.
• The next slide shows how the FY26 budget expenditures, I'm sorry, FY27 budget expenditures, FY27 budget
• operating budget.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee first heard the FY27 executive budget review for Louisiana Economic Development (LED). House Fiscal outlined a $59.4 million LED budget, with major funding from state general fund, self-generated revenue, federal funds, and a marketing dedication, and explained reductions tied largely to the removal of one-time funding and carryforwards. The Secretary highlighted recent economic development results, including major capital investment announcements, job creation, the high-impact jobs program, Louisiana Fast Sites, and efforts to support existing businesses and small business growth. Members repeatedly asked for clearer public-facing materials on the tax and economic benefits of incentives, the use of the entertainment development fund, the structure of the high-impact jobs and Fast Sites programs, and how LED competes with other states. LED also discussed its Storyteller Initiative, regional project distribution, and the role of major events and film-related incentives. The committee then reviewed Louisiana Works’ FY27 budget of $352.7 million. Staff explained that the budget is driven mainly by federal funds and statutory dedications, with changes largely attributable to the One Door to Work Act and the transfer of workforce functions and positions into the department. The Secretary noted a planned $5 million move for the Louisiana STEM Council and a small request for elevator repairs, and members discussed the unemployment insurance trust fund’s improved balance, which lowered employer tax rates and increased benefits. Questions focused on workforce shortages, coordination with LCTCS and other training partners, the new Louisiana Talent Accelerator and workforce modernization efforts, the need for marketing to attract workers back to Louisiana, and remaining gaps in funding for rehabilitation services and disability employment programs. Finally, the committee took up the Department of Conservation and Energy’s FY27 budget of $201.3 million. Staff described decreases tied to the end of the Solar for All grant, lower orphan well spending as prior balances were drawn down, and reductions in some one-time funding and interagency transfers. The Secretary said the department’s reorganization is now largely complete and emphasized a focus on eliminating duplicative functions, strengthening enforcement and permitting, and using available funds more efficiently. Members questioned the reduction in orphan well funding, the impact of the Solar for All repeal, the use of settlement dollars, and the department’s plans for AI-assisted permitting and modernization of the Sunrise database. They also discussed ongoing work on seismic activity in Red River Parish, commercial fishermen’s claims for gear damaged by energy infrastructure, and efforts to improve financial security requirements for operators so future orphan well liabilities are better covered.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think your budget is your budget, and you live within the budget.
• the agency's FY26 operating budget.
• That's what you get for your budget.
• budget, which we didn't do before.
• I'll ask that our budget director, Ms. Brighting, I'll ask that our budget director, Ms.

Bills: HB1

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget information can be found on page 2-19 of your legislative budget book.
• budget book.
• The budget information can be found on page 2-27 of your legislative budget book.
• The budget is in your gold packet.
• The budget information can be found on page 2-59 of your legislative budget book.

Summary: The joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee first revisited the Office of the Attorney General budget after House Bill 951 had failed on the House floor. Members considered two competing restorations from the Consumer Protection Fund: one to restore broader personnel costs and another limited to the Internet Crimes Against Children program. The narrower ICAC-only motion failed, while the broader restoration passed and received a do pass recommendation. The committee then took up several Department of Health and Welfare items from Senate Bill 1428, including the Division of Early Learning and Development, Division of Youth Safety and Permanency, and Division of Family and Community Partnerships. Members approved funding for moving the Idaho Home Visiting Program to Early Learning and Development, a mower replacement at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center, population forecast adjustments, transfer-limit exemptions, a report on home visiting outcomes, restoration of foster care/post-adoption and safety assessment funding, and $180,000 for kinship navigation services. They also approved a supplemental and FY 2027 budget for Public Health Services, including one-time funding for home visiting, immunization assessment, HIV and hepatitis prevention, suicide prevention, and ARPA grants, along with language requiring reports on outcomes and immunization fund use. A separate Public Health Services language item requiring public health districts to report documented immigration status of HIV prevention service users drew debate. The motion to adopt the language passed after discussion about its purpose and concerns about discrimination. The committee also approved a SNAP-related federal fund appropriation for House Bill 730 and then turned to the Rural Health Transformation Program, creating the fund and oversight structure, approving a FY 2026 supplemental, and approving the FY 2027 appropriation for the program. Members discussed legislative oversight versus executive administration of the new federal dollars, and the committee adopted intent language on physician assistant and dental hygienist reforms. The meeting ended early because of time constraints, with plans to reconvene the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, is the hope that this budget gives me, because I know that this budget is built on the care
• They cost more in the budget, and we know that, and that is why this budget is the right thing to do.
• That's a good thing in this budget.
• We cut Medicaid in this budget.
• I want to thank the budget team.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, and observed a moment of silence for the unexpected death of Autumn Gildon, wife of Senator Gildon. The chamber then approved the previous day’s minutes and signed several bills before moving into caucuses and Senate messages. The main action of the day was consideration of the state operating budget, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5167, which the House adopted from conference committee and then passed on final passage after extended debate. Supporters of the budget said it was a balanced plan that protects core services, including food, shelter, health care, public schools, special education, behavioral health, and support for vulnerable residents, while making difficult choices in a tight fiscal year. Opponents argued it relied on the largest tax increases in state history, would burden working families and businesses, and could reduce access to health care and other services. The conference report was adopted 57-39, the bill then passed 52-45, and it was immediately transmitted to the Senate by a 58-39 vote. The House also took up Engrossed House Bill 1217, a rent stabilization measure affecting lease renewals and manufactured housing lot rents. Proponents described it as needed relief for renters facing steep increases and a way to provide predictability and stability, while opponents warned it would function as rent control, discourage new housing investment, and reduce supply. The conference report was adopted 55-42, and the bill passed final passage 54-44 before being immediately transmitted to the Senate 59-39. In addition, the House passed several housing and environmental bills: Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1096, focused on housing supply and buildable land, passed 94-4; Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1108, creating a cost-driver analysis process for housing affordability, also passed 94-4; and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293, dealing with litter reduction and plastic bag provisions, passed unanimously 98-0. The chamber also received Senate messages on other bills and recognized the work of staff and members at the close of session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even though the Governor's budget proposal is balanced for the 2026-27 budget year based on the borrowing
• the limited budget condition.
• We do have a structural problem with our budget. We do have a structural problem with our budget.
• The budget proposal The budget proposal before you today requests $400,000 for program delivery.
• The governor's budget includes $10 million in this 26, 27 budget for reducing climate impacts on disadvantaged

Transcript Highlights:

• Even though the Governor's budget proposal is balanced for the 2026-27 budget year based on the borrowing
• the limited budget condition.
• The budget proposal The budget proposal before you today requests $400,000 for program delivery.
• The governor's budget includes $10 million in this 26–27 budget for reducing climate impacts on disadvantaged
• The governor's budget includes $10 million in this 26, 27 budget for reducing climate impacts on disadvantaged

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy opened its first hearing with remarks from the chair and members emphasizing climate change, resiliency, clean energy, natural resources, and the need to make careful budget choices in a constrained fiscal environment. The Legislative Analyst’s Office presented an overview of the natural resources and environmental protection budget, warning that although current revenues are strong, the state faces significant out-year deficits and should apply a high bar to new ongoing spending, use special funds and fees carefully, and focus on critical health and safety needs. The LAO said the Governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan was generally reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, but urged legislative oversight and reporting, especially where bond funds interact with General Fund proposals. Secretary Wade Crowfoot then described the Natural Resources Agency’s recent accomplishments and priorities, including wildfire resilience, water reliability, coastal protection, outdoor access, biodiversity, tribal partnerships, and streamlining project delivery. He highlighted major investments in climate and resilience, the role of Proposition 4 in continuing those efforts, and the need to modernize water infrastructure, including Delta conveyance and other regional conveyance projects. Members asked about Delta conveyance, invasive species, permitting delays, and the impact of federal staffing cuts; Crowfoot said the administration is pushing projects forward, supports a beneficiary-pays approach for conveyance, and is filling gaps left by federal reductions where necessary. The committee then heard from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Director Armando Quintero reviewed the state park system, outdoor access programs, tribal agreements, wildfire and forest resilience work, and deferred maintenance funded by the climate bond. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing General Fund transfer for the California State Parks Library Pass program, saying it did not meet the high bar for new spending, while several members strongly supported the program as a low-cost, high-value access tool. Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and no-show vacancies; staff said new rules and enforcement will take effect July 1 and that vacancies are being opened up sooner. The department also presented low-cost accommodation projects, which the LAO supported. Finally, the Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced its new director, Megan Hurdle, who outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 proposals for salmon tagging, hatchery improvements, and public access lands. She emphasized the department’s role in biodiversity conservation, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict outreach, and said the agency is working to close a service gap identified in its budgeting analysis. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• situation overall, the budget overall, and the details of any aspects of the budget are things we're
• our budget as we move forward.
• The budget is proposing a $1.4 billion budget.
• I want to say I understand my first three years were about cutting budgets, severely cutting budgets,
• We are able to get those things into the budget, and then they get cut. the next year in the budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll try to fit it in the budget.
• </c> banum is not in the governor's budget banum is not in the governor's budget and<00:18:53.400><c>
• put over onto the capital budget rather than the regular budgets.
• put over onto the capital budget rather than the regular budgets.
• put over onto the capital budget rather than the regular budgets.

Summary: The Finance Committee met on February 18 and retained several bills for possible inclusion in the budget. House Bill 97, appropriating funds to the Department of Environmental Services for wastewater infrastructure projects, was retained on a 21-0 vote. House Bill 197, which would have the state pay 7.5% of certain political subdivision employees’ retirement contributions at an estimated annual cost of $28 million to $29 million, was also retained unanimously. House Bill 246, creating the Conservation District Climate Resilience Grant Program with a small appropriation of about $50,000 per year for two years, was retained 22-0. House Bill 519, appropriating $500,000 annually to support the Waypoint Youth and Young Adult Shelter, was likewise retained 22-0. The committee then shifted to a broader budget discussion. Representative Maguire said the committee was facing a roughly $732 million gap between projected revenue and spending, based on preliminary Ways and Means figures and the governor’s budget. He noted that the governor’s plan included $81 million from the rainy day fund and $127 million from proposed slot machine revenue, while other potential obligations such as $150 million in YDC payments and prison down payments were not included. Members discussed how Ways and Means revenue estimates are based on current law, meaning proposals not yet enacted would not be counted in the official forecast. Members also asked about the relationship between the education funding committee and Finance, and were told that many education bills would likely come back to Finance after action in the other committee and on the floor. The chair and members discussed donor towns, swept funds, and the possibility of moving more information technology spending into the capital budget if appropriate. The meeting ended with agreement to let Division 2 head to education funding, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first item on the agenda today is the Judicial Branch budget, which can be found on Legislative Budget
• As you may recall from the budget hearing, there are two enhancement requests included in this budget
• Otherwise, the budget is before the committee. Thank you.
• So the budget is $2,932,800, but the increased budget is going to be $165,300 there.
• The budget is $2,932,800, but the increased budget is going to be $165,300 there.

Summary: The Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee considered several FY 2027 budget items, beginning with the Idaho Judicial Branch. The committee approved an additional $3.9007 million from dedicated funds for court operations, including $800,700 from the Senior Magistrate Judge Fund, $700,000 from the Drug Court/Mental Health Court/Family Court Services Fund, $400,000 from the Substance Abuse Treatment Fund, and $2 million ongoing from the Court Technology Fund. Members noted the technology fund had grown enough to sustain the ongoing transfer, while Senator Wintrow remarked that funding for a treatment-court peer support program had not been restored. The motion passed with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then approved a Guardian Ad Litem Division budget increase of $165,300 in general funds, including $77,900 ongoing for the Second Judicial District CASA program and $87,400 to restore a one-time FY 2027 rescission. Supporters described the CASA request as funding a trainer-recruiter position and related office costs, and several members spoke favorably about the role of guardian ad litems. The motion passed, also with a do-pass recommendation. Members next took up the Millennium Income Fund. They approved $9,872,200 from the fund for recommendations including the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, Youth Assessment Centers, children’s advocacy centers through the Idaho Domestic Violence Council, an additional recovery center in Kamiah, and a statewide drug awareness media campaign. A substitute motion added $30,000 one time to restore funding for statewide training and coordination of school resource officers, which passed after discussion about whether the Millennium Fund committee had been consulted. The committee then adopted maintenance and new language for the Millennium Fund items, including reporting and oversight provisions, and later adopted language for reappropriating unspent state archives move funds for the Idaho State Historical Society. Finally, the committee approved the Idaho State Historical Society budget, adding $486,300 from dedicated funds for archival moving and OITS hardware. Members explained the move would be handled in phases and funded through dedicated sources rather than general funds. The committee also adopted statewide appropriations language making conditions, limitations, and restrictions in budget bills binding law, and adjourned after announcing the next day’s agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Budget process with a focus toward budget allotments.
• I'm the assistant budget<00:03:25.480><c> director.</c> budget director. budget director.
• </c> The baseline budget is a straight-lined budget based on the current enacted budget as revised.
• </c> budget request. budget request.
• </c> budget bill doesn't. budget bill doesn't.

Committee: Joint Appropriations & Revenue