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JFAC fails to set FY2026 revenue number after divided votes; decision postponed
Summary
Committee members debated three competing revenue baselines for FY2026 (EORAC at $6.4B, governor at $6.261B, and a compromise at $6.33B). Substitute and original motions failed to secure the required majority of both chambers, and the committee postponed a final revenue adoption.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee debated rival FY2026 revenue baselines but did not adopt a number after successive motions failed to secure majorities in both chambers.
Analysts presented three possible revenue baselines: the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC) recommendation of $6,400,000,000; the governor’s recommended budgeting baseline (a lower figure of roughly $6,261,000,000, incorporating a $330 million item for public schools); and a compromise number offered on the floor of $6,330,000,000.
Representative Petske moved initially to adopt the EORAC recommendation of $6.4 billion; that motion was seconded and debated. Senator Woodward offered a substitute motion to adopt $6.33 billion. Committee members debated differences in outlooks and the desire for a conservative number to avoid repeated supplemental requests. Speakers included Senator Woodward, Representative Tanner and others; several members framed the choice as a compromise between risk and conservatism.
The committee first voted on Senator Woodward’s substitute (the $6.33 billion number). The clerk reported a split outcome: the Senate vote count was 8 ayes to 4 nays (with no absences reported); the House vote was 3 ayes to 7 nays. The combined tally was 9 ayes to 11 nays, so the substitute failed to achieve the committee’s requirement of majority approval in both chambers.
The committee then returned to the original motion (the EORAC $6.4 billion). After further debate the Senate recorded 4 ayes and 6 nays and the House recorded 10 ayes and 0 nays, yielding a combined 14 ayes and 6 nays. Because the Senate did not provide the required majority, the original motion also failed. The chair announced the decision would be delayed and the revenue number for FY2026 would be revisited at a later time.
Committee members said they would reconvene on the matter; no binding revenue number for FY2026 was set during the session.
