Transcript Highlights:

• </c> last year's budget. last year's budget.
• </c> your budget bill. your budget bill.
• Can't do that in the budget<01:42:04.639><c> bill.</c> budget bill. budget bill.
• that we fund our budget, call it budget balancers.
• </c> our budget, call it budget balancers. our budget, call it budget balancers.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This budget can be found on page 2-59 of your legislative budget book.
• The budget information can be found on page 2-19 of your legislative budget book.
• The budget information can be found on page 2-27 of your legislative budget book.
• It's, let's see, the budget information can be found on page 2-27 of your legislative budget book.
• The budget information can be found on page 2-7 of your legislative budget book.

Summary: The committee first approved a $3,700 dedicated-fund enhancement for the Endowment Fund Investment Board to replace a high-end laptop. It then took up Department of Lands items, rejecting a $125,000 general fund supplemental for fire preparedness after concerns were raised about prior firefighter bonus spending, but approving a separate supplemental to shift 1.25 FTP and $160,000 between the Abandoned Mines Lands Fund and the Navigable Waterways Fund to align expenditures with statutory uses. The committee then approved the Department of Lands’ FY 2027 budget enhancements, including radio equipment, vehicle storage, a UTV, legal counsel fund shifts, Idaho Geological Survey support, replacement items, and OITS hardware, along with language directing a transfer to the Geological Survey. It also approved a Parks and Recreation supplemental to allow fund transfers after program restructuring, and then approved the department’s FY 2027 enhancements for staffing, trail work, equipment, grant pass-throughs, staff housing, park construction, RV campsite development, and replacement items, with members discussing the use of federal funds and the department’s management of prior appropriations. The committee then considered the Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Public Health Services. After debate over the Idaho Home Visiting Program, immunization assessment funding, disaster planning, lab testing, ARPA grants, HIV prevention, and hepatitis prevention, the committee rejected a substitute motion that would have restored more funding for home visiting and instead approved the original motion, which included funding for home visiting, immunization assessment restoration, lab testing, ARPA grants, HIV and hepatitis prevention, and a small general fund restoration for suicide prevention, while reducing three FTP. The committee also adopted reporting language for suicide prevention, HIV prevention, hepatitis prevention, and immunization assessment funds. It then moved to the Division of Early Learning and Development, approving a budget that included Idaho Child Care Program capacity funding, replacement items, population forecast adjustments, and the transfer of the Home Visiting Program from Public Health. The committee also approved language requiring an open competitive acquisition process for Idaho STARS after extensive discussion, then adopted language for Home Visiting reporting, Idaho Child Care Program reappropriation, and restrictions on Idaho Child Care Capacity Grant spending after debate over definitions and provider eligibility. Finally, it approved language exempting the division from certain transfer restrictions, and began the next budget for Family and Community Partnerships, which included a kinship navigation grant enhancement.

Transcript Highlights:

• Will the Legislative Budget Commission please come to order? Ms. Rosa, please call the roll.
• We have 12 budget amendments on today's agenda.
• That is the budget amendment. Other questions? Sir, please.
• The budget authority to transfer that cash was not operating cash...
• forward like operating budget can.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission met with a quorum present and considered 12 budget amendments, most of which were adopted without opposition. The first amendment transferred $8.2 million in Department of Corrections general revenue authority from salary incentives to contracted services to support the phased demobilization of Florida National Guard troops assisting with correctional staffing. Senator Pizzo questioned the length of the Guard’s deployment and urged a long-term staffing solution, while the department said the Guard presence was being reduced and that about 2,200 employees were in training. The Department of State received an additional $618,391 in federal grant authority for library grants and private cloud costs, and the Department of Transportation’s two amendments were zero-sum work program changes: one realigned funds to production-ready projects and another added three projects over $3 million each to the current-year work program. The commission then approved several Agency for Health Care Administration amendments tied to Medicaid supplemental payment programs. These included funding for the Florida Cancer Hospital Program, indirect medical education payments, disproportionate share hospital payments for the state mental hospitals, the Low-Income Pool program, physician supplemental and public hospital payments, Florida KidCare, and Medicaid services realignment. Members asked about possible federal disallowances in the LIP and physician/public hospital programs, and agency staff said some disallowances were likely but the amount was not yet known. For KidCare and Medicaid, staff explained the changes were based on the December estimating conference, enrollment shifts, and updated actuarial assumptions, including changes to managed care regions and program design. The final amendment restored budget authority for a hospital direct payment program after a prior payment, including a $24.3 million CMS-related amount and $3.2 million in administrative fees, was not processed before fiscal year-end and reverted. Senator Pizzo pressed the agency on how the payment was missed and whether any penalty applied; staff said the invoice was not received and processed in time and that communication issues contributed. After brief debate on each item, the commission adopted all amendments, with one recorded nay on the final item, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, you have a budget.
• You have a budget. Thank you.
• process for the FY25 budget year.
• It is interesting to note that the Commission budget in 22-23 was actually 10% of the budget from when
• Since the FY25 budget, as you can see, our base budget has seen a small increase of 3.7%.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in this budget proposal.
• </c> next bium budget in this budget proposal next bium budget in this budget proposal but<00:27:51.600
• It's in the treasurer's budget.
• This year it's budgeted at 8.9.
• So when we budget it, we do have to budget full benefits along with that position.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed the Department of Corrections budget, with the chair initially noting that the overall numbers looked close to fiscal year 2024 spending, except for federal funds. Department officials explained that prior ARPA expenditures and delayed revenue recognition had distorted the comparison, and that the corrected general fund spend was about $169.7 million. Members then focused on whether the budget’s staffing assumptions were realistic, especially the shift from overtime to full-time lines and the use of vacant positions to offset overtime costs. The department said it is leaning on vacancy savings, but would return for additional appropriations if unforeseen staffing problems arise. A major portion of the discussion centered on recruitment, retention, and staffing levels. Officials reported a 42% vacancy rate in enforcement ranks, down from 51% in January 2023, with 28 new officers headed to the next academy and 33 new hires already tracked. They said overtime is more expensive than regular staffing because of benefits and that it takes about 11 months for a new hire to break even. Members also asked about the split between incarcerated and supervised populations; the department said it oversees about 1,970 inmates in facilities and just over 4,000 people in the community, with 77 positions supervising the community population and the inmate population remaining the most expensive area. The committee also discussed how sentencing and statutory changes affect incarceration levels, including misdemeanor/felony thresholds and theft thresholds, with the department agreeing that such changes can significantly affect prison and jail populations. Members asked about education and recidivism, and the department said base education is the most important foundation, followed by vocational training, while noting that many incarcerated men lack a high school diploma. The department also described a $1.3 million reduction in contracted forensic evaluation services, explaining that these evaluations are court-ordered competency assessments and are not statutorily required to be provided by DOC. Finally, members reviewed victim services funding and staffing, including VOCA-supported positions, and the department explained that a new victim witness specialist would help support survivors at parole hearings and safety planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've asked them to focus mostly on the Medicaid budget, but the Department of Health and Welfare budget
• They'll give a little bit on the Medicaid budget, but the department's budget encompasses more than just
• to just briefly remind the committee of Idaho's budget model.
• I'm a budget policy analyst with Legislative Services Office.
• rather than the Health and Welfare budget.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee first considered the gubernatorial reappointment of Clayton Steele to the Board of Environmental Quality. Steele described his background in environmental work at DEQ and Clearwater Paper, said he brings both regulatory and industry experience to the board, and noted the board’s recent work on contested case issues and rulemaking. Senators asked about the biggest challenges, what he finds rewarding, the Perpetua matter, and whether he had any conflicts of interest; he said he had not encountered any conflicts. The chair said the committee would vote on the reappointment at the next meeting. The committee then received a Legislative Services Office presentation on the Department of Health and Welfare budget, with emphasis on non-Medicaid programs. Analysts reviewed the department’s staffing, historical spending, and the state budget process, then walked through division-by-division requests. Items highlighted included no-change maintenance budgets for Youth Safety and Permanency, Licensing and Certification, and Substance Abuse Services; a $16 million federal request for the Idaho Child Care Program capacity and related integrity staffing; a $600,000 ongoing request for court-ordered evaluation and treatment; $180,000 for kinship navigation; $4.2 million for the Idaho Home Visiting Program; and an increased dedicated-fund request for immunization assessments. Senators also asked about the home visiting program and its funding structure, with one senator expressing concern about the department counting pass-through dollars toward its holdback. Additional budget items included Division of Welfare requests tied to HR1, such as shifting SNAP administrative costs to the General Fund, funding Medicaid expansion work requirement verification, and a one-time eligibility system change for six-month redeterminations. Mental health and psychiatric hospitalization budgets were described as decreasing on the General Fund while relying more on dedicated endowment funds. The presentation also covered Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program award, including a FY 2026 supplemental for limited-service staff and a FY 2027 request for $294 million one-time to implement rural health initiatives. Senators asked what the funds could be used for, with examples given such as access improvements, technology, infrastructure, and rural EMS, and the chair noted tribes are included in the program. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, and the committee adjourned with plans to meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• and $7 billion over the Executive budget.
• and $7 billion over the Executive budget.
• Let me say we do not address rent stabilization in this budget.
• Let me say we do not address rent stabilization in this budget.
• Let me say we do not address rent stabilization in this budget.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Conference Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Housing opened budget negotiations for the 2026-2027 enacted budget, with Senate and Assembly leaders outlining their one-house proposals and committee members giving brief remarks. The discussion covered environment, agriculture, housing, parks, and energy, with repeated emphasis on affordability, climate resilience, and support for rural and urban communities. Senate and Assembly chairs described the process and noted the agencies present, while minority members criticized the overall size of the budgets and urged more attention to housing affordability, building stakeholders, and energy costs. On the environment and energy side, the Senate highlighted proposals for $138 million in additional clean water infrastructure funding, a $75 million increase to the Environmental Protection Fund, $95 million in restored parks capital, $200 million for the Energy Affordability Program, and $1 billion for Sustainable Futures 2.0, including a proposed revival of the NY STUN program. The Assembly said it increased the EPF to $500 million, raised clean water infrastructure funding to $800 million, and included targeted amounts for cities, rural housing-related water projects, Cornell Ag Tech, and the Center for Sustainable Materials Management. Democrats argued that high utility bills are driven by natural gas costs rather than clean energy, while Senate and Assembly Republicans said the CLCPA and other energy mandates are increasing costs and should be reconsidered. Agriculture remarks focused on research, farm support, and resilience. Senator Hinchey described funding for Cornell’s COWS program, Farm to School amendments, $7 million for farm worker housing, and a new $20 million Farm Weather Resiliency Grant Program. Chair Lupardo said the Assembly added $16 million over the Governor’s proposal for educational research and outreach, restored support for beginning and disadvantaged farmers, and backed dairy, livestock, hemp fiber, and natural fibers initiatives, while also accepting $30 million in farmer tariff relief if guidelines are set. Minority Assembly Member Tague supported dairy infrastructure funding but criticized the farm labor overtime phase-down and the CLCPA’s impacts on farms. Housing discussion centered on major capital and assistance programs. The Assembly proposed $200 million more for the Housing Access Voucher Program, $100 million for Mitchell-Lama and NYCHA, $50 million for down payment assistance, $4 million for fair housing testing, land banks, and $40 million for the Homeowner Protection Program. The Senate outlined similar priorities, including $500 million for NYCHA, $100 million for Mitchell-Lama preservation, $250 million total for HAVP, and additional funding for mixed-income rental development, vacant rentals, senior housing, and block-by-block infill. Chair Rosenthal said rent stabilization was not being changed in the budget, while Republican members argued that affordability requires lower taxes, lower utility costs, and fewer regulatory burdens. No votes were taken; the meeting was an opening round of budget negotiations and ended with closing remarks from both sides.

Transcript Highlights:

• In this budget, Mr.
• budget by half.
• This budget is a massive improvement over the party-line budget.
• Go back in any budget. You'll see that. We call that pork. You know what? Budgets are budgets.
• the Republican budget, this is the Trump budget.

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, approved the journal, and welcomed several guests in the gallery, including a high school student and an advocate connected to the domestic violence bill HB 2995. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, first advancing HB 4155, HB 4156, and HB 4157, then HB 4164, HB 4165, and HB 4166, all with do-pass recommendations and no substantive amendments on those calendars. Later, the House also considered SB 1326, a victims’ rights measure, adopted a floor amendment, and reported it out as amended. The House corrected an earlier clerical error regarding HB 4155-4157 being referred to engrossing rather than third reading. The House then took up a long series of final passage votes on Senate bills. SB 2174, SB 2611, SB 1011, SB 1012, SB 1016, SB 1018, SB 1038, SB 1039, SB 1040, SB 1053, SB 1055, SB 1057, SB 1060, SB 1061, SB 1068, SB 1069, SB 1075, SB 1100, SB 1113 on reconsideration, SB 1160, and SB 1170 all passed. SB 2873, SB 1004, SB 1009, SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1049, SB 1093, and SB 1143 failed. SB 2995, the emergency family-law/domestic-violence bill known as the Alec and Lydia Act, passed with the required two-thirds vote after extensive debate; supporters said it would better protect children and clarify judicial standards, while opponents argued its definitions were overly broad and could harm families. SB 1018 on foreign laws also drew extended debate over Sharia law, with supporters framing it as a defense of American values and opponents calling it unnecessary and discriminatory. Several votes included explanations focused on policy concerns. SB 1004 on sex-offender registration and monitoring drew debate over whether electronic monitoring is effective. SB 1040 on voter registration transparency prompted arguments over public access to voter rolls versus privacy and security. SB 1118 on municipal zoning and historical homes was debated as a property-rights and local-control issue, with supporters saying it could help preserve affordable housing and opponents warning it would override local decisions. The House also adopted motions to reconsider prior actions on SB 1043 and SB 1100, and it requested the Senate return SB 1552 for reconsideration. The session ended with the House still processing additional Committee of the Whole business, including HB 4158, HB 4159, HB 4160, HB 4161, HB 4162, and HB 4163, with HB 4162 and HB 4163 receiving floor amendments and do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the state faces a difficult budget the state faces a difficult budget environment<00:34:48.440><
• </c> thrive at the same time this budget thrive at the same time this budget allocates<00:45:32.480><
• </c> crisis and yet the proposed budget crisis and yet the proposed budget eliminates<01:07:23.000><c
• , and the New Hampshire Council of Churches doesn't see the budget as proposed as a moral budget.
• </c><02:29:59.760><c> calls</c><02:30:00.319><c> for</c> budget because a budget that calls for budget

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee opened a public hearing on House Bills 1 and 2, which concern the governor’s proposed FY 2026-2027 budget. The chair explained that the committee must fit the budget to House Ways and Means revenue, which is about $800 million below the governor’s estimate in an almost $16 billion budget. He also noted a projected current-budget overspend, the impact of recently passed legislation, possible fee updates, no new tax proposals at that time, and the importance of federal funding and Medicaid stability. Testimony was limited to three minutes, with the chair asking speakers to avoid duplication. Much of the testimony focused on Medicaid, disability services, and home- and community-based care. Speakers urged the committee to restore or protect funding for transportation, Medicaid, day programs, in-home supports, and behavioral health services. Several individuals and providers described how cuts would affect people with disabilities, medically fragile children, and families who rely on services to remain employed and avoid institutional care. A home care provider argued that a proposed 3% Medicaid cut would increase hospitalizations and costs, while a behavioral health representative asked for sustainable Medicaid rates, uncompensated care support, housing resources, and continued funding for community behavioral health clinics. Another major topic was the Group II retirement provisions in HB 2 for public safety workers. Representatives from police, fire, corrections, probation/parole, and related associations testified in support, saying prior pension changes hurt recruitment and retention, pushed experienced workers to neighboring states, and should be reversed to restore promised benefits. They argued the provisions would help keep public safety careers viable and honor commitments made to first responders. An executive counselor also warned that when the state shifts costs away from itself, local property taxpayers bear the burden, and she opposed cost shifts such as Medicaid premiums and universal vouchers. A separate speaker urged funding public schools rather than universal vouchers, arguing vouchers can leave other students behind as resources are diverted.

Transcript Highlights:

• what a balanced budget actually looks like.
• and where we're at with our budget as it is.
• And it's easy to say we need to balance the budget, that we need to force Congress to balance the budget
• The next thing is, 49 states already have a balanced budget amendment or balanced budget requirement
• If you take your personal budget, your car, If you take your personal budget, your car engine blows up

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received committee reports advancing several bills to second reading. Those reports included measures on public records, collective bargaining, foreign laws, Capitol Mall regulations, sex offender registration, taxation, transportation, solid waste, cottage food operations, and a concurrent resolution on second reading. The House also introduced and referred House Bills 600 through 605, covering topics such as public records complaints, taxpayer funding of government unions, foreign laws, Capitol Mall camping and property rules, sex offender registration, and tax subtractions for tips and overtime. The main floor debate centered on House Concurrent Resolution 25, which calls on Congress to propose a balanced budget amendment through an Article V convention process. Supporters argued the federal debt is unsustainable, that states must act to pressure Congress, and that Idaho should use its constitutional authority to force fiscal discipline. Opponents warned that an Article V convention could become a runaway convention, expose the Constitution to broader changes, and create risks from lobbyists, Congress controlling the process, and unclear delegate rules. Several members also raised concerns about the lack of sideboards and the possibility that ratification procedures could be altered. After extensive debate, the House passed HCR 25 by a vote of 36-34 and sent it to the Senate. The chamber then held remaining third-reading bills at their current place until Monday, February 9, 2026, took several personal privilege and announcement items, and adjourned until 11 a.m. that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> If we were to create a state budget If we were to create a state budget based<00:04:40.960><c> on
• :07.039><c> the</c><00:08:07.199><c> horizon,</c> our budgeting going over the horizon, our budgeting
• There was a budget coming out of House Republicans and a budget coming out of me.
• </c> getting us a budget. Invest in research. getting us a budget. Invest in research.
• </c> uh putting out a budget here shortly. uh putting out a budget here shortly.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and actually getting budget bills to vote on?
• probably be in order until we have a final enacted budget.
• BUDGET THAT HAVE YET TO BE CLOSED OUT?
• than an on-time budget.
• IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD BUDGET THAN AN ON-TIME BUDGET. ALTHOUGH, DEADLINES DO BETTER.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with routine proceedings, approved the prior day’s journal, and then took up a budget extender. Senator Serrano’s appropriation bill was recalled from the Assembly, reconsidered, amended, and sent through Rules to the floor. During debate, senators discussed the ongoing delay in finalizing the state budget, the 13th extender, school aid payments, the Yonkers school district payment, and unresolved issues such as Tier 6 retirement changes and other budget policy items. The extender was passed 57-2 after debate, with senators pressing for more transparency about the budget negotiations and the majority responding that those issues were not germane to the extender. The chamber then recognized several resolutions and guests. Senators spoke in support of Resolution 1948 honoring New York State 4-H and its Capital Days participants, Resolution 2054 commemorating Italian American Day, and Resolution 1620 mourning Denis Michael Troy of Rockland County. The Italian American Day resolution drew extensive remarks from many senators about family histories, immigration, cultural contributions, scholarships, and community traditions, and the Senate welcomed honored guests from the Italian American community. The Rosalyn Yalow Charter School fencing team was also introduced, along with the family of Denis Troy. The Senate then moved through a long calendar of bills, passing measures on public service, city administrative code, municipal law, correction law, criminal procedure, real property tax, education, social services, public health, executive law, parks, judiciary, and alcoholic beverage control, among others. Several members explained votes on bills related to ratepayer protection, hip-hop lyrics in criminal cases, sovereign nations and gaming compacts, and the Traveling with Dignity Act requiring adult changing stations in public facilities. Most bills passed with broad support, though some drew notable negative votes. The Senate completed the calendar and adjourned until Tuesday, May 19, at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the budget committee.
• And maybe we focus on the budget in the budget committee. And that's all I'm asking.
• Going to have in the DMH budget.
• We submitted the budget based on our expected needs. We support the governor's budget. Of course.
• Not my budget.

Summary: The Budget Committee heard the Department of Mental Health’s FY 2027 budget presentation, with Director Valerie Hoon outlining a $4.4 billion department budget, including $1.7 billion in general revenue, and describing the department’s roles in substance use, behavioral health, and developmental disabilities services. Early questioning focused on marijuana-related mental health impacts, but the main discussion centered on the department’s new decision items, funding sources, and expected wait lists. The director explained several increases tied to Medicaid growth, mental health youth services, outpatient competency restoration, crisis residential services, developmental disability waivers, and provider tax adjustments, along with offsets such as reduced wraparound funding at the Kansas City Assessment and Triage Center and cuts to some youth and self-directed DD services. A major portion of the hearing focused on competency restoration for people found unfit to stand trial and currently held in county jails. Members pressed the department on the cost, effectiveness, and legal implications of keeping people in jail while awaiting services, noting a reported wait list of roughly 524 to 538 individuals and average holds of about 14 months. The department said it currently has eight outpatient competency restoration beds in the community, is seeking funding for 50 additional outpatient slots, and also operates jail-based restoration for about 40 people at a time. Members repeatedly asked for breakdowns of violent versus nonviolent cases, success rates, cost per person, and the split between state and federal funding, while the department explained that Medicaid can cover only the treatment portion, not residential housing or other non-billable costs. The committee also discussed broader capacity constraints in state hospitals and developmental disability services. Hoon said Fulton, Center for Behavioral Medicine, and FTC North are full, with 183 vacancies across the department, and that the department is working on a new Kansas City hospital that would add 150 beds, though completion is now expected closer to 2029 or 2030. In the developmental disabilities section, the department warned that the governor’s recommendation would create wait lists for in-home waiver services and crisis residential services, and members questioned proposed reductions to self-directed services rates and other provider payments. No votes were taken, and the committee recessed before finishing the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget phase.
• We perform the capital budget role. The capital budget requests come to us.
• budget, this capital budget, six in this budget, this capital budget, and<01:10:12.560><c> then</c><
• And uh welcome to uh Senate Capital<01:26:42.719><c> Budget.</c> Capital Budget. Capital Budget.
• Budget improvement investment in our debt service in our agency budget.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor's budget recommendation for DNR reflects the broader theme of his overall budget, which
• The governor's budget recommendation for DNR reflects the broader theme of his overall budget, which
• The governor's budget recommendation for DNR reflects the broader theme of his overall budget, which
• The budget represents a total budget of $1.5 billion across all DNR funds, and I'll just note that the
• </c><00:07:24.400><c> I</c> important role within dnr's budget I important role within dnr's budget I

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the budget that was presented uh back in January um has much of it in the budget today.
• So the budget is balanced.
• </c><00:01:37.720><c> H.951,</c> So, the FY27 budget is H.951, So, the FY27 budget is H.951, uh<00:01
• </c><00:02:02.360><c> with</c> billion-dollar total state budget with billion-dollar total state budget
• </c> but we do balance the budget every year. but we do balance the budget every year.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're actually some of the smaller bills within the budget of 16 budget bills.
• In this budget, Mr.
• And this budget is proposing to slash their budget by half.
• This budget is a massive improvement over the party-line budget.
• Go back in any budget. You'll see that. We call that pork. You know what? Budgets are budgets.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:24:12.799><c> here</c> governor's budget here governor's budget here proposes<00:24:14.919><c
• </c> we do we support the governor's budget we do we support the governor's budget as<00:26:17.039><c
• </c> so we do support the governor's budget so we do support the governor's budget and<00:26:51.799><
• 65% of the proposed cuts to a base budget that makes up roughly only 25% of the overall budget.
• budget.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That person retired with a significant leave balance, and that's never budgeted, or it's rarely budgeted
• So will we see budgets that have additions, whether you have these budget guidelines or not?
• That's my question on that budget item. Mr.
• , or over the budget on it and stuff on it.
• Typically not, because budgets grow.

Summary: The Budget Section approved the March 18 minutes and received an OMB update showing the general fund is still ahead of the budgeted starting point, but revenues through May are now about $76 million below the legislative forecast, driven mainly by individual income tax and sales tax shortfalls. OMB also reported the budget stabilization fund is above its cap, meaning a transfer to the general fund is expected, and reviewed oil price/production assumptions, noting continued volatility. Members asked about the income tax netting process, the sales tax decline, oil price discounts/premiums, natural gas taxation, and when the executive branch would present its revenue forecast. The committee then acted on several Emergency Commission requests. It approved, as a group, requests for federal mine reclamation funds for the Public Service Commission, an additional criminal investigator FTE and funding for the Attorney General’s office, and a DPI transfer for bridge software costs. It separately approved DPI request 2164 for $500,000 to support the food vendor program after debate over whether the program’s savings were known and whether the money was simply a pass-through. OMB also reported on federal grants, fiscal irregularities, tobacco settlement proceeds, budget guidelines for agencies, FTE pool usage, vacancy savings, and the DAPL settlement, noting the settlement funds had been deposited and that a deficiency appropriation may be needed later to cover remaining accrued interest. Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus presented on the primary residence credit program, saying participation has grown sharply and that the current biennium will likely need about $431 million, roughly $22 million above the appropriation. He explained how the credit interacts with homestead and disabled veteran benefits, how the 3% property tax cap works, and why county valuations and mill rates vary. The committee also received a Legacy Fund/Budget Stabilization Fund report showing strong returns, and DOT Director Ron Henke received approval for two Flex Fund highway projects on ND 49 and ND 31. Henke also explained remaining Highway 85 funding and said the department is exploring uses for leftover state dollars. Finally, the Department of Mineral Resources reported on abandoned well plugging and site restoration, noting North Dakota remains in relatively strong shape compared with other states, and DPI began a presentation on gap funding tied to the 3% levy cap, reporting 24 districts received $1.8 million in the first year and projecting higher future needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they don't have to be done with the budget to implement and pass the budget by June 15th, June 30th
• Passing these bills as part of the budget would not only be an inappropriate use of the budget process
• about budget sub four, number one.
• last year's budget.
• ZEV budget was not included in the.

Keywords: 988, house, all