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Committee reports H493 favorably after debate over staffing levels and $50,000 web-report discrepancy
Summary
On April 20 the Appropriations Committee voted to report H493 favorably after discussion over staffing levels in the budget, discovery of a $50,000 line-item discrepancy in the web report, and a technical change moving recovery-residence purchase funds to DHCD.
The Appropriations Committee voted to report H493 favorably on April 20 after members debated staffing levels in the budget and staff flagged a $50,000 discrepancy in the public web report.
The committee discussion focused on two practical issues: a line-item inconsistency in the online budget posting and ongoing member concerns that the budget contains more positions than necessary. A staff member told the committee, “We found there is a $50,000 line item in the web report, so we’re going to double-check to make sure there aren’t any other expenditures.”
Senator Norris, who said earlier that she had voted in favor of the bill, expressed lingering concerns about the size of the budget. “I voted favorably... I think this budget is still too large,” Norris said, citing continued worries about the number of positions included.
Committee staff also noted a technical change in the capital bill package: money for a recovery-residence building purchase will be directed to DHCD rather than to the original housing account referenced in the binder. A staff member summarized the change as a deviation between the printed binder and the version the committee considered.
After discussion, a motion was made to report H493 favorably as presented. The roll call recorded recorded affirmative votes from Senator Watson, Senator Berube, Senator Lyons, Senator Westwood, Senator Brown and Senator Birchwood. The committee chair declared the motion carried and discussed scheduling the bill for second reading the following week; a staff member said, "Next Wednesday should be second reading."
The committee also asked staff to correct the web report totals so grant and general-fund columns match; staff said they would adjust the online posting and verify there were no other mismatches. No final dollar changes to the bill were stated on the record during the meeting.
The committee’s favorable report moves H493 to the next legislative step and schedules further review in the finance process.
