JFAC advances FY2026 program maintenance budgets covering agencies statewide; Health and Human Services reorganization and large appropriations approved

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee voted Friday to advance a broad set of Fiscal Year 2026 program maintenance budgets and related appropriation language covering most state agencies and policy areas. Actions included approvals for the legislative and judicial branches, constitutional officers, public safety, general government, economic development, natural resources, the State Board of Education, public schools and Health and Human Services. Committee votes were overwhelmingly unanimous for routine budgets and language; two Health and Human Services-related votes recorded individual no votes.

Taken together, the committee set program maintenance funding levels and standard draft language that will be used in the maintenance appropriation bills. Most motions followed staff presentations and were routine adoption of the FY2026 base plus statewide decisions (contract inflation and cost allocation) and included standard “conditions, limitations and restrictions” language and reporting requirements.

Key totals and notable items - Public school support (program maintenance): committee set a FY2026 total of $3,166,965,700 (all funds), with a general-fund component of $2,651,787,500. There is no FTP cap associated with public schools at the agency level; statutory allocations and distribution mechanisms remain in place. - Health and Human Services (program maintenance): committee set a FY2026 program maintenance total of $5,263,083,200 (all funds) with a general-fund…