Education subcommittee receives LFO briefing on state budget process and education spending

The Education Subcommittee opened an informational meeting Jan. 27 with an overview from the Legislative Fiscal Office of how the state develops and reviews the biennial budget and the major budget drivers affecting K–12, early learning and higher education.

Wendy Gibson, the Legislative Fiscal Office analyst assigned to K–12 and early learning, told the subcommittee that LFO is “a nonpartisan, independent, permanent, professional support office to the legislature” and that its responsibilities include preparing fiscal impact statements, agency budget reviews and detailed analyses that subcommittees use in decision-making. Gibson described three types of fiscal impact statements LFO issues: no fiscal impact, minimal fiscal impact and fiscal impact determinations; she said LFO sometimes issues an “indeterminate” finding when agencies cannot provide sufficient data.

The briefing summarized the budget cycle and the major funding sources the subcommittee will consider, including the general fund, lottery fund, other funds and federal funds. Gibson said the tentative budget prepared by legislative…