EAC hears House Bill 7 budget overview; staff recommends cuts and targeted additions for Capitol Preservation, Guard and veterans services

The Executive Appropriations Committee received an overview of House Bill 7 (the base budget bill for the committee) and heard presentations from the Capitol Preservation Board, the Utah National Guard and the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs. Committee staff outlined recommended one‑time reductions and reallocated funding options while agency directors described operations, recent performance measures and service demand.

Steve Allred, committee staff, told members House Bill 7 carries the base appropriations for the committee’s agencies and that the committee’s portion of the bill totals roughly $79.7 million in general and income‑tax funds after December adjustments. "The base budget bill by motion of this committee in December is essentially the ongoing appropriations made for the current fiscal year that carry forward to the next fiscal year," Allred said, describing the bill’s purpose and timelines for passing the base budgets under…