Subcommittee adopts SB 55 47 rebalance amendment, forwards bill to full Ways and Means

SALEM, Ore. — The Human Services Subcommittee on Monday adopted a dash-2 amendment to Senate Bill 55 47, the 2023–25 spring budget rebalance for the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority, and voted to forward the amended bill to the full Ways and Means Committee.

The amendment and the committee recommendation were made during a work session following agency presentations on the rebalance. The Legislative Fiscal Office recommended adoption of the dash-2 amendment and a due-pass recommendation to the full committee.

Rob Codiri, chief financial officer for the Oregon Department of Human Services, told the committee the rebalance package includes an overall net general fund savings for the two agencies of $64,500,000 and said the department’s spring rebalance shows net savings of “over $12,000,000,” driven largely by child-welfare savings offsetting other needs. Codiri also said the department plans a separate request of $500,000 in this biennium for flood response in Harney, Douglas and Coos counties and expects a corresponding roughly $1.5 million request in the next biennium, together covering about $2 million of six-month costs for affected households.

Rochelle Layton, chief financial officer for the Oregon Health Authority, summarized OHA’s rebalance as showing a net savings of $4,800,000 and said the agency will move about $45,600,000 of general fund into the next biennium to match timing for ongoing facilities projects. Layton described Medicaid caseload reforecast savings, administrative savings and program-level adjustments that produced the net savings, and noted ongoing cost pressures at the Oregon State Hospital.

A Legislative Fiscal Office representative, Mr. Steiner, recommended the subcommittee approve the rebalance as described in the posted work session memo and adopt the dash-2 amendment. Co-chair Campos moved adoption of the dash-2 amendment; the motion carried with no objections. Co-chair Campos then moved to forward SB 55 47, as amended, to the full Ways and Means Committee with a due-pass recommendation; that motion also carried with no objections. Co-chairs assigned themselves and Senator Gumpos to carry the bill on the relevant floors.

Committee members and agency officials emphasized that projections are based on data through February 2025 and said future events such as natural disasters, caseload shifts or federal policy changes could alter needs. Codiri noted the agencies’ estimates do not yet incorporate possible further federal SNAP penalty calculations beyond a $7.8 million figure referenced to the committee; he said the department is awaiting guidance on whether additional federal changes would increase that liability.

The committee closed the work session after the votes and scheduled its next meeting for Thursday, May 22. No roll-call vote totals were taken on the motions recorded in the transcript.