JFAC delays budget setting after failed CEC consensus; several agencies to accelerate presentations

The Joint Finance Appropriations Committee postponed setting several agency budgets on Jan. 21 after committee leadership said members did not reach consensus on a CEC recommendation and a separate health insurance benefit matter.

The delay affects budget scheduling for multiple agencies. "We were unable to come to consensus on a CEC recommendation last Thursday, which has now caused a delay in our ability to set budgets," said Madam Chair, Co-chair of the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee. Committee staff and the affected agencies agreed that the Department of Agriculture, the Military Division, the Veterans Division and the Public Utilities Commission would accelerate their budget presentations and appear before the committee on Friday.

The announcement came at the start of the committee’s Jan. 21 meeting. Committee staff emphasized that the affected budgets cannot be adopted until the committee resolves the outstanding CEC recommendation and the health insurance benefit issue. The co-chairs and staff did not set a new date for final action; instead they scheduled the expedited presentations to ensure the agencies’ materials would be available to members before votes are held.

The postponement was procedural and did not include any formal vote on the underlying CEC or benefits issues during the Jan. 21 session. Committee members and agency staff prepared to provide additional materials and to reconvene for the accelerated presentations later in the week.

The committee adjourned at the end of the scheduled business and set its next convening for 8 a.m. the following morning.