JFAC splits on home energy rebates and Speed Council; rebate funding fails in committee after multiple motions

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee considered a three-part FY2026 request from the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR): (1) a fund shift to align personnel costs among dedicated accounts, (2) federal funding to administer the federal Home Energy Rebate program, and (3) a governor’s initiative to create a Speed Council that would streamline permitting for large infrastructure projects. Committee members debated and reworked several motions over the course of the hearing; multiple motions to fund the governor’s Speed Council passed or failed at different tallies, and an initial motion that included significant federal rebate funding failed to gain the necessary majority in committee.

Kellen McGurkin, budget and policy analyst, outlined OEMR’s request for an ongoing federal appropriation to administer the Home Energy Rebates program, noting the state’s share under the Inflation Reduction Act and that no state match is required. The OEMR request sought approximately $24.5 million in federal funds for…