A conference committee for the Appropriations - Government Operations Division voted to fund a new housing program at $25 million, with specific allocations for communities by population size and a flexible approach to slum-and-blight remediation.

Committee members said the funding level was a compromise between the House, which had pushed for larger sums, and the Senate, which favored a smaller pilot. The committee approved a bucketed breakdown of the $25 million and removed a fixed-dollar set‑aside for slum-and-blight remediation so the program can use funds for that purpose without an explicit line-item amount.

The committee adopted the following breakout for the $25 million: $7,000,000 for subsection A, $10,500,000 for subsection B, $6,000,000 for subsection C and $1,500,000 for subsection D, leaving $2,500,000 identified in discussion for slum-and-blight remediation as an eligible use of the program. The allocation replaces earlier proposals that ranged from $20 million (Senate position) to $30 million (House position).

During debate, some conferees urged caution about starting smaller and treating the program as a pilot that could be expanded after evaluation. Senator Dwyer said conferees wanted to “give this new program a chance” and to receive a report in two years on its effectiveness. Other members, including Representative Machtenbacher, said House debate signaled housing was a session priority and pushed for a larger initial appropriation.

Levi, staff to the committee, summarized related standing funding: “Looking at section 7 of Senate Bill 2014 for the Industrial Commission … it was $35,000,000 in total of which $10,000,000 is from the general fund and $25,000,000 is from SIF,” indicating the committee was considering how the new program would coordinate with the Industrial Commission’s Housing Incentive Fund.

Members also debated whether the new program should draw from the general fund or from SIF. Several conferees said that either funding source could be accommodated, but the transcript records continuing discussion as other conference committee work proceeded.

Formal votes recorded two key motions. Senator Wanzek moved to keep the program at $20 million and remove the specific slum-and-blight dollar amount while keeping slum-and-blight eligible; Senator Dwyer seconded that motion. The roll call produced three votes in favor (Chairman Sickler, Senator Dwyer, Senator Wanzek) and three opposed (Representative Lausser, Representative Anderson, Representative Moshenbacher); the motion failed 3–3.

A subsequent motion by Representative Loeyser to set total funding at $25,000,000 with the bucket breakouts described above, seconded by Representative Anderson, passed on a roll call with the following recorded votes: Yes — Chairman Sickler, Senator Wanzek, Representative Lausser, Representative Anderson, Representative Moshenbacher; No — Senator Dwyer. The chair declared the motion passed and adjourned the committee.

Discussion throughout the meeting noted implementation risks and coordination needs: conferees referenced the Industrial Commission’s existing Housing Incentive Fund and said the program’s effectiveness would depend on program design, matching requirements and broader housing market factors such as interest rates, inflation and construction costs. One speaker summarized the matching expectation discussed in committee as two non‑state dollars for every one state dollar, which committee members said could help leverage the appropriation.

The committee directed staff to continue coordination with related budget work and with the Industrial Commission as conference activity proceeds; no final implementing language or administrative rules were adopted at the committee meeting. The committee record shows the funding source (general fund vs. SIF) and final program details remained subject to further conference and budget reconciliation.