Senate Finance Committee reports six supplemental spending bills to full Senate

The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee on April 1, 2025, voted to report six supplemental appropriations to the full Senate, each with the committee’s recommendation that it ‘‘do pass.’'

Committee counsel summarized each supplemental and the committee approved each by voice vote, with the vice chairman moving each motion. The measures cover special-revenue realignments in the Department of Commerce, increased spending authority for health and human services programs, federal grant authority for summer EBT and school-based health services, and a small federal adjustment for veterans’ pay scales.

The measures matter because they change which funds state agencies can spend or add authority to spend federal grants awarded after the 2025 fiscal-year budget was enacted, which affects how agencies manage program payments and staff positions for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Committee counsel described the first supplemental, House Bill 33-67, as “a supplemental that realigns special revenue spending authority within the Department of Commerce, Division of Natural Resources, lisonbee fund dash wildlife resources,” and said the bill increases several internal appropriations while decreasing capital improvements and land purchase appropriations so the item nets to zero. The committee then voted to report HB 33-67 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.

The committee next reported House Bill 33-65, a supplemental increasing special revenue spending authority by $5,888,483 in the Department of Health’s West Virginia Birth-to-Three Fund. Counsel said $2,638,483 of that increase would cover a program shortfall for the remainder of the year and $3,250,000 would fund six months of higher reimbursement rates. The committee voted to report HB 33-65 with a recommendation that it pass.

House Bill 33-72 was described as a $60,700 federal spending-authority increase for the Department of Veterans Assistance to allow the agency to provide a new minimum salary for Fair Labor Standards Act–exempt employees, per guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee voted to report HB 33-72 with the recommendation that it pass.

House Bill 33-58 would increase federal block-grant spending authority for the Department of Human Services’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) current-expenses line by $21,000,000. Counsel told the committee the change is needed partly because federal and state budget years are not synchronized and because TANF funds have been used to cover continued child-care payments after a switch from attendance-based to enrollment-based payments. The committee voted to report HB 33-58 with the recommendation that it pass.

House Bill 33-66 increases federal spending authority for the Department of Health’s Office of Inspector General by $979,697, with breakdowns counsel gave to personal services, repairs and alterations, equipment, current expenses and other assets; counsel said the increase covers federally budgeted positions and a federal grant awarded to the office. Senators questioned whether this federal supplemental would conflict with a previously sent general-revenue supplemental; counsel explained the earlier measure involved general revenue and budget language for reallocation, while HB 33-66 is federal spending authority, so they do not conflict. The committee voted to report HB 33-66 with the recommendation that it pass.

Finally, House Bill 33-70 would increase federal spending authority within the Department of Human Services by $32,132,229, including $27,000,000 to current expenses, $677,086 for CHIP administrative costs and $4,455,143 for CHIP services. Counsel said the department was awarded a federal grant for summer EBT and school-based health services after the FY2025 budget passed; the supplemental would allow the agency to access those awarded funds. The committee voted to report HB 33-70 with the recommendation that it pass.

All six measures were reported out by voice vote; the committee’s actions send the bills to the full Senate for further consideration. Committee members asked procedural and timing questions for implementation — for example, how quickly agencies can draw on spending authority after a bill is passed and signed — and counsel replied that, following passage and the governor’s signature, spending authority is effective immediately.

Votes at a glance - HB 33-67: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Subject: Department of Commerce/Division of Natural Resources special-revenue realignment; net effect described in committee as zero for the particular budget item after internal shifts. Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion. - HB 33-65: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Increase: $5,888,483 to West Virginia Birth-to-Three Fund (breakdown: $2,638,483 to cover shortfall; $3,250,000 for six months of increased reimbursement rates). Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion. - HB 33-72: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Increase: $60,700 federal spending authority to Department of Veterans Assistance for FLSA-exempt minimum salary adjustments. Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion. - HB 33-58: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Increase: $21,000,000 federal TANF current expenses (reasons: budget-year timing and child-care payment method change). Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion. - HB 33-66: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Increase: $979,697 federal spending authority to Department of Health OIG (breakdown provided in counsel’s explanation). Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion. - HB 33-70: Reported to full Senate with recommendation that it do pass (voice vote). Increase: $32,132,229 federal spending authority to Department of Human Services (including summer EBT and school-based health services grant funds: $27,000,000 current expenses; $677,086 CHIP admin; $4,455,143 CHIP services). Evidence: committee counsel explanation and motion.

The committee adjourned after the six votes. The measures next go to the full Senate; further action, and any implementation of spending authority, depends on subsequent passage and the governor’s signature.