JFAC orients new members to SharePoint, staffing and hearing schedule

The Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee convened for an orientation session Tuesday that focused on internal procedures, electronic document access and staff assignments ahead of the 2025 budget hearings.

Chairwoman Horman opened the session and confirmed a quorum before the committee proceeded with seat selection and seniority determinations. Members used drawn numbers and a short lottery process to assign seats that will remain in place for the two-year committee term.

LSO's Division Manager Keith Bybee led a demonstration of the committee's SharePoint site and explained how members and the public can use the session record to access presentations, audio and video files. "This is the main home page for the JFAC SharePoint," Bybee said while navigating the repository, showing how files are named and how members should download them to edit and annotate.

Bybee described a new naming convention intended to reduce duplicate files and make it easier for members to find agency and analyst presentations (for example, a 5-digit agency code followed by an "A" for the analyst presentation and "B" for agency materials). He also showed committee members how to download and save the legislative budget book and related materials for offline note-taking.

Paul Headley, deputy director at the Legislative Services Office, introduced an "impact review" team of analysts and two research fellows on loan from the McClure Center for Public Policy. Headley said the small research unit will provide short written answers, one- to two-page briefs and deeper research to support committee questions on performance and evidence during the session.

Bybee and committee co-chairs outlined the hearing schedule and work-group approach: JFAC will meet roughly 8 to 9:30 a.m. each business day, after which members will break into work groups to dive deeper into specific agency budgets. Committee leaders said program maintenance budgets will be set on Friday, Jan. 17, and the hearing schedule is organized to group agencies so budgets can be set the Fridays following their presentation weeks.

Committee staff and analysts were introduced to the members so that legislators would know their assigned contacts for work groups. Introduced staff included deputy manager Jared Tatro; data systems coordinator Shane Winslow; principal analyst Janet Jessup; capital and CEC analyst Frances Lippitt; health and welfare analyst Alex Williamson; transportation and commerce analyst Brooke Dupree; office coordinator Tamara Figueredo; and a group of newer analysts assigned to higher education, public safety, general government and statewide elected officials.

Bybee and staff reminded members that printed legislative budget books remain available on request but noted the electronic binder is about 850 pages and that iPads or Surface devices with annotation tools are available to members who prefer digital markup.

The committee recessed for a short break and scheduled to return at 9:20 a.m. for the governor's budget presentation.