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MLK Commission seeks expanded staff and youth programming; subcommittee accepts LFC recommendation pending staff follow-up
Summary
The MLK Commission told the subcommittee it is expanding statewide programming and requested additional personnel, contractual coordination and youth-conference funds; the LFC recommended a lower general fund level and the committee accepted the LFC recommendation with direction for staff to review the new leadership request.
The Appropriations & Finance Subcommittee accepted the Legislative Finance Committee recommendation for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission while agency leadership described a new vision and asked for additional resources to expand youth programming, travel and community outreach.
Acting Executive Director Beverly Gaines, who took leadership in October 2024, said the commission has increased statewide activity and wants to expand the youth leadership conference and other programs. Gaines said the commission recently held events in 13 counties and that roughly 3,500 people attended MLK weekend events; she added the annual youth leadership conference typically draws about 150 middle and high school students.
The executive recommended funding the commission’s revised request, while the LFC recommended a lower general fund level. The budget variance totaled about $101,000 in general fund: the executive included $23,500 to fully fund two existing FTE, $44,300 for contractual program coordinator capacity (instead of hiring a third FTE), and $33,200 to enlarge the youth leadership conference and increase attendance capacity. DFA staff noted the LFC could not fully consider the director’s revised submission when analysts completed their fall review; the executive supported the updated request.
Gaines told the subcommittee the commission is collaborating with other state entities and community partners to expand programming, and she highlighted plans to strengthen digital outreach, social media and hybrid meeting capacity to include people statewide. "We have new commissioners and we're already doing more work with what we have," Gaines said, asking lawmakers to consider the revised funding request.
Representative Dixon moved adoption of the LFC recommendation and Representative Silva seconded; the motion passed with no objections. The committee directed staff to work with DFA and LFC to examine the director’s revised submission and determine whether any adjustments should be made before final budget adoption.
Ending: The committee accepted the LFC recommendation for now and instructed staff to review the new administration’s revised funding requests for possible follow-up.
