Subcommittee adopts SB169 S1, recommends $2.25 billion corrections budget with new one-time projects and policy language

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Corrections and Judiciary on April (meeting date not specified) voted to adopt Senate Bill 169 S1 and reported the measure to the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The chair's recommendation for the Department of Corrections would appropriate $2,254,778,600 for fiscal year 2025-26, a net general fund increase the subcommittee recorded as $94,500,000.

The subcommittee chair and fiscal staff said the package combines baseline adjustments, new ongoing programs and a series of one-time work projects. Senate fiscal analyst Joe Grosco summarized the corrections recommendation: "This bill will spend a total of $2,254,778,600 in total, for fiscal year 26," and described new policy and reporting changes in the bill.

Why it matters: the bill funds operations for the state corrections system and includes both recurring and one-time investments that affect retirement participation for corrections staff, transitional housing for people leaving incarceration, county jail reimbursements and several contracted or community provider grants.

Key elements and discussion

- Spending totals and general fund: Grosco told the subcommittee the total appropriation in the bill is $2,254,778,600 and that the general fund portion in the presentation represents a $94,500,000 increase for fiscal 2025-26.

- Pension change: The package includes $31,000,000 tied to recently passed…