JFAC approves program-maintenance budgets for multiple agencies; CEC and health insurance deferred

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee approved a series of program-maintenance budgets and accompanying statutory language for dozens of state agencies during its Jan. 17 meeting, adopting spending and staffing baselines while leaving unresolved larger compensation and health benefit decisions.

Committee staff described the maintenance budgets as the baseline operations authorized by previous legislatures, with the committee adding only predetermined statewide adjustments such as cost-allocation changes and limited contract inflation where requested. Mr. Bybee, Legislative Services Office budget staff, presented the approach and noted that the legislative branch, judicial branch, constitutional officers, public safety agencies, and dozens of other departments were before the committee for program-maintenance votes.

Why it matters: Program-maintenance bills set the baseline funding agencies will work from during the next budget cycle. The committee carried due-pass recommendations on each item to move the appropriations forward in the legislative process; members deferred decisions on the compensation element (CEC) and on…