Appropriations Committee authorizes interim hearings on federal block grants; Community Services Block Grant estimated at $7,000,000

Chairman Beckettall convened the Senate Appropriations Committee and presented Senate Concurrent Resolution 4,001, which authorizes the Legislative Management budget section to hold required legislative hearings on state plans for receipt and expenditure of new or revised federal block grants when the legislative assembly is not in session.

Lehi Kaneshitsky, fiscal analyst at Legislative Council, told the committee that the Department of Commerce Division of Community Services administers the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and that the department anticipates receiving approximately $7,000,000 in federal funds for the CSBG during the 2527 biennium — the same amount estimated for the current biennium. Kaneshitsky said the CSBG hearing was held as part of the Commerce hearing the previous week and described the grant as funding services for low-income populations, “particularly the elderly, homeless individuals, and migrants,” including housing, health, nutritious food and self-sufficiency services.

Kaneshitsky told members the resolution would remain in effect through September 2027 (tied to the federal fiscal year) and that it is substantially the same mechanism the legislature has used for at least the last nine bienniums to allow hearings to occur between sessions if Congress passes or revises block grants.

Senator Mather asked whether the state receives notice when federal funding is reduced. Kaneshitsky said he was not aware of an automatic reporting mechanism for federal fund reductions; he described a survey Legislative Council conducts once per biennium in the summer of the even-numbered year to collect agencies’ federal funds estimates and related information.

Senator Eberle moved that summaries, minutes and testimony received during the Community Services Block Grant hearing be provided to legislative leadership and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and that copies be kept in the Senate Appropriations Committee files for future reference; Senator Wanzick seconded. The committee took a roll-call vote with the members recorded on the transcript voting aye; the motion carried.

Later in the meeting Senator Wozniak moved a due-pass motion for Senate Concurrent Resolution 4,001, seconded by Senator Mather; the motion required a roll call and passed by recorded aye votes on the transcript. After the vote the committee chair identified a carrier for the resolution in the appropriate division.

The measures approved do not appropriate funds; rather, they provide a procedural mechanism for the budget section to hold public hearings on federal block grants and to distribute hearing materials to legislators and staff. The CSBG hearing that informed this resolution was tied to the Department of Commerce budget hearing held last week, and Kaneshitsky emphasized that the resolution is a mechanism to allow hearings to occur when the assembly is not in session.

The committee did not record any nay votes or abstentions on the motions shown in the transcript.