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JBC votes to repeal FLEX program and transfer fund balance to General Fund
Summary
The Joint Budget Committee approved staff’s recommendation to repeal the Financial Literacy Exchange (FLEX) program and transfer the fund balance (about $601,625) to the General Fund; the motion carried 6–0 and staff were authorized to prepare legislation.
The Joint Budget Committee approved staff’s recommendation to repeal the Financial Literacy Exchange (FLEX) program (created by HB 22‑1389) and transfer the program’s cash‑fund balance to the General Fund at fiscal year end.
JBC staff Andrea Ewell explained the FLEX program was modeled on a HUD family self‑sufficiency program to match savings for households using state housing vouchers. The department had struggled to implement the program because third‑party administrators were unwilling to provide case management and other required services without compensation; as a result the program had not enrolled households and had spent only minimal staff costs.
Staff reported the current cash‑fund balance was about $601,625 and recommended repeal and transfer. Representative Serota moved the staff recommendation and directed staff to work with the Office of Legislative Legal Services to prepare a repeal and transfer bill; the motion carried 6 to 0.
Why it matters: Staff said the program had value but had not launched; repealing the statute and transferring the unspent balance yields immediate budgetary resources with minimal programmatic disruption.
