Executive Appropriations Committee adopts revised FY2025–26 revenue estimates, approves $650 million in new spending

The Utah Executive Appropriations Committee on Feb. 28, 2025, adopted revised state revenue estimates for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and approved a package of budget actions that adds $150 million in ongoing spending and $500 million in one‑time spending to the state budget.

The committee’s votes implement consensus revenue adjustments and allocate newly available funds across subcommittees and statewide priorities, and they authorized legislative staff to draft multiple appropriations bills to implement those actions.

Dr. Wilco, a staff member presenting the revenue update, told the committee the February 2025 forecast showed the state was down about $74 million in FY2025 and about $38 million in FY2026 and asked members to “adopt these consensus revenues.” The committee’s co‑chair moved to adopt the revised revenue estimates shown on the February green sheet; the motion passed unanimously.

Jonathan Ball, committee member, summarized a separate pink sheet of additional changes to available revenue. Ball said some items were “sweeps from restricted accounts” and others were reductions and that the sheet “frees up $198,300,000 ongoing and $54,500,000 one time to be allocated on the LILOC list.” The committee voted to approve the pink‑sheet changes unanimously.

The committee then considered the lilac packet of proposed funding items that combined the revised revenues, the pink‑sheet changes and base budget actions. That packet showed new spending of $150,000,000 ongoing and $500,000,000 one time. The motion to adopt the lilac packet passed with one member recorded as opposed: Senator Riebe cast the sole no vote; no other dissent was recorded on the transcript.

Members next approved a yellow packet titled Consolidated Motions on Appropriations Subcommittee Reports, a set of technical and implementing motions needed to carry out the funding changes. Committee members described the yellow packet as adopting earlier subcommittee recommendations, excluding the priority list items already taken in the lilac motion; the consolidated motions passed unanimously.

Senator Stevenson moved and the committee authorized legislative staff to draft the following bills to carry the funding actions into law: House Bill 3 (current fiscal year supplemental appropriations), Senate Bill 2 (fiscal year supplemental appropriations act), House Bill 2 (public education budget amendments), first substitute House Bill 8 (state agency and higher education compensation appropriation), and first substitute Senate Bill 8 (state agency fees and internal service fund rate authorization and appropriations). The motion instructed staff to include in the first substitute House Bill 8 funding for a 2.5% cost‑of‑living adjustment for state agency employees, a 1% pay‑for‑performance supplement one time, and several other compensation and benefit cost adjustments described on the lilac packet. The drafting authorization passed on a voice vote.

Committee leadership publicly thanked staff of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst’s office for work on the budget and noted staff may make technical changes necessary to balance funds while drafting the appropriations bills.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes of Feb. 19, 2025 — motion passed (voice vote). Motion text: “I move to approve the minutes of 02/19/2025.” - Adopt revised revenue estimates (green sheet, February 25) — motion passed (voice vote). Motion text: “I move to adopt the revised revenue estimates for fiscal year 2025, column C, and fiscal year 2026, column F, shown on the green sheet entitled revenue estimates, February 25, dated today, 02/28/2025.” - Approve changes to available revenue (pink sheet) — motion passed (voice vote). Motion text: “I move to approve the changes to available revenue shown on the pink sheet dated today, 02/28/2025.” - Adopt funding items (lilac packet) — motion passed (recorded 1 no). Motion text: “I move to adopt the funding items as shown on the lilac packet entitled, additional proposed funding items 2025 general session dated today 02/28/2025.” Recorded opposition: Senator Riebe (1 no). - Adopt Consolidated Motions on Appropriations Subcommittee Reports (yellow packet) — motion passed (voice vote). Motion text: “I move to adopt the appropriations subcommittee reports, excluding fee change reports and priority list items, with adjustments as shown in the yellow packet entitled Consolidated Motions on Appropriations Subcommittee Reports for the Executive Appropriations Committee and dated today, 02/28/2025.” - Authorize staff to draft specified appropriations bills (listed above) — motion passed (voice vote). Motion text: “I move to authorize legislative staff to draft the following bills…”

Following the votes, committee chairs directed staff to prepare statutory language and technical balancing adjustments necessary to implement the package and scheduled the usual legislative follow‑up over the coming days as the bills are drafted and introduced.