JFAC approves technical corrections and program-maintenance budgets across state government

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Friday approved a series of technical corrections, reappropriations and program-maintenance budgets that update agency appropriations and carry certain one-time monies forward.

Staff presented corrections to current fiscal-year appropriations and then the committee set program-maintenance budgets for nearly every functional area of state government, including the legislative and judicial branches, constitutional officers, public safety, general government, economic development, natural resources, education and health and human services. Committee members repeatedly described the package as largely “net zero” adjustments that align appropriations with recent organizational changes and previously approved one-time awards.

Why it matters: These votes set the baseline appropriations the Legislature will use in the 2026 budget-setting process. Several items reassign or reappropriate funds so those dollars are tracked or spent from the account that best matches legal or programmatic intent. The approvals also authorize language that allows limited rollovers and program transfers that agencies asked for during budget hearings.

The committee began the meeting with technical corrections presented by Janet Jessup, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office. Jessup described a broadband reappropriation adjustment that moved $291,737,000 out of a Department of Commerce program account and into the newly created Broadband Office so those dollars can be tracked separately: “This action would remove the monies that were reappropriated to the commerce, commerce program, and then also add them back into the broadband office so they can be tracked for transparency moving forward.”

After the technical fixes the committee moved through program-maintenance packages by…