Senate appropriations panel questions Veterans Home use of special funds, asks for five‑year Fund 380 balances before acting on transfer

The Senate Appropriations Committee, Human Resources Division, reviewed Senate Bill 2,007 on the budget for the Veterans Home and pressed staff for a five‑year accounting of the home’s special revenue account (Fund 380) before agreeing to an intra‑budget transfer.

The committee focused on how the home decides to use its own revenue — called "other funds" or Fund 380 in the agency accounting — versus state general fund appropriations. Kristen, a veterans home official who presented the budget, told the panel that "we generally try to spend special funds first before we kick in and start spending the general fund dollars." The committee asked for the ending balance of Fund 380 for the last five years before taking action on the budget.

Why it matters: The split between special funds and general fund spending affects the state’s general fund balance and the committee’s choices this session. Lawmakers said they want the full Fund 380 picture to judge whether the home should draw down reserves rather than rely on new general fund dollars.

Committee discussion and requests

Kristen said the Veterans Home uses revenue it collects from rents, meals and other services for salaries and operations and tries to exhaust those special funds before using general fund dollars. She told senators that only capital items and…