Education and Environment panel reviews governor's budget items, advances WSI budget to full committee

Chair Soerfaka called the Appropriations — Education and Environment Division back to order and opened a review of the governor's budget, saying the House version largely matched the governor’s request.

The committee discussed a proposed children’s cabinet appropriation tied to Senate Bill 2176, funding for vacant FTEs and staff development, and internship line items. Cole, a staff member assisting the committee, summarized differences between the governor’s request and the House amendments and noted the committee had not previously acted on the package. Maria Nessa, chief of staff to the lieutenant governor and senior advisor to Governor Armstrong, told the committee the Senate had held a hearing on Senate Bill 2176 and that an amendment had been offered to remove the bill’s full appropriation while keeping…