House committee trims OMB budget, repurposes positions and adds deferred maintenance pool

The House Appropriations Committee on the first half voted to adopt an amendment to House Bill 10‑15 and then approved the bill as amended, moving a package of transfers and targeted appropriations for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Representative Dan Munson, who presented the OMB package to the committee, said the amendment includes repurposing vacant FTE lines, increases for IT and facility operating costs and a $40 million deferred maintenance pool. “No new FTEs in that section, just repurposing,” Munson said, noting two previously vacant special‑fund FTEs would be converted to a procurement officer and a communications specialist.

The amendment also adds $6.8 million in operating increases largely tied to IT, utilities and operating costs for the new state laboratory building east of the Capitol; $5.8 million in capital asset changes, and roughly $2.35 million for renovations,…