Appropriations panel restores election-reform funds, shifts public printing and reviews WSI budget

The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division reviewed a string of agency budget items on Oct. 12, restoring funds for election reform and operating expenses, discussing a proposed $271,000 transfer of public printing duties from the Secretary of State to Legislative Council, and outlining one-time information-technology and building items in the Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) budget.

Committee staff said footnote 7 restores prior savings removed elsewhere: “there was the savings, in footnote 5. There was, 1 FTE was being removed with $200,000 that $200,000 is being restored into the election reform line here in number 7,” a staff member said, explaining that $581,000 tied to three FTEs previously charged to federal and special funds is also being restored into operating expenses and the election-reform line.

Why it matters: Restoring those funds changes how positions and their operating costs are paid for and ensures continued funding for election-related projects the committee is considering to support voters and voting systems.

The committee discussed several specific adjustments and grants. Members and staff identified the following numerical items during the discussion: a $200,000 restoration tied to one FTE; $581,000 associated with three FTEs shifted from federal and special funds back into general-fund operating expenses and election reform; a $1,000,000 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) federal grant with a $200,000 general-fund match; a $100,000 federal election-security grant; a $2.8 million amount from CIF for poll pads and “cradle points” cited for voter check-in hardware; and a $700,000 SIF allocation for IT enhancements to a central indexing system that remained unchanged between versions of the budgets.

Members also reviewed an amendment moving public printing duties and roughly $271,000 out of the Secretary of State’s budget and into Legislative Council. A staff presenter said that the language for that amendment was passed the prior Friday and that the $271,000 would leave the Secretary of State’s budget and go to Legislative Council. The committee chair asked committee members to highlight that change when the bill is explained to the broader committee.

On House Bill 1021 (WSI), committee members said the budget largely tracked the governor’s proposal but included one-time funding mainly for IT systems and building improvements. Committee discussion noted reductions in other funds tied to the vacant-FTE pool (the staff accounting for vacant positions) and a roughly $1,366,000 reduction in other funds compared with the governor’s submission.

Committee members repeatedly asked for updated long sheets and statements of purpose for bills and amendments before formally advancing items. The chair said the committee would not vote the Secretary of State/printing budget out at this meeting and asked members to meet with Legislative Council and staff to resolve remaining questions. The panel scheduled further review of the Attorney General’s budget after the floor session and noted an amendment regarding YouthWorks and human-trafficking work that staff said will be moved into the HHS budget and removed from the committee’s draft; that $750,000 item will be discussed in HHS rather than here, staff said.

Quotes in context came from members and staff during discussion of the footnotes and budget lines. Representative Lausser said, “I have it, I think, now. Okay,” after staff explanation. The chair closed the session until after the floor with, “Alright seeing none we’ll break until after floor.”

The committee’s discussion emphasized reconciling footnotes, funding sources (general, special, federal), and clarifying which office is responsible for specific line items before any formal committee votes.

Looking ahead: committee members asked for updated long sheets and statements of purpose and indicated they will return after the floor session to take up the Attorney General budget and pending amendments. No formal vote or final committee action on the Secretary of State appropriation or the public-printing transfer occurred at this meeting.