Finance Ways and Means Committee sets Feb.–March budget hearing window, requires electronic amendments and 3‑minute public testimony

Chairman Hicks, chair of the Finance Ways and Means Committee, told members during the Feb. 2025 committee meeting that the panel will begin budget hearings next week and expects to conclude them by Monday, March 17.

The schedule and a set of procedural rules were the central items addressed in the session. “The finance committee does not accept verbal amendments,” Chairman Hicks said, repeating the rule to emphasize compliance with the new electronic filing process. He said proposed committee amendments must be filed electronically through the committee’s Outlook distribution list and that the electronic process will automatically trigger a fiscal memo request.

The committee chair framed the timing and attendance expectations as part of members’ responsibilities. Members were told hearings will start at 8 a.m. on Mondays to fit the committee’s six‑week calendar and that members are expected to attend each department and agency budget hearing. Hicks said attendees had been emailed a copy of the budget hearing schedule.

The committee also set rules for local bills and testimony. For any local bill with a local fiscal impact, the bill will be considered only if it is sponsored or cosponsored by a representative from that locality; sponsors may roll a bill to allow time to secure an appropriate cosponsor, the chair said. Requests for guest testimony must be submitted to the chair’s office at least 24 hours before the meeting, and time limits for testimony and comments were set at three minutes per speaker.

Committee staff were introduced to the members. The chair named Jessica Haim as House budget director and Boyan Savage as fiscal review director. He introduced attorneys Joel Hayes and Doug Garrett, administrative assistant Kimberly White, research analyst Amira Tunich, intern Catherine Collins, house clerks Ashley Rison and Nick Nicastro, library and archives staff Kayla Eatherly, and sergeants‑at‑arms Tony Townsend and Terry Van Tris.

No formal motions or votes were recorded on substantive legislation during the meeting. The chair closed the session after asking for any other business and saying, without objection, the committee stood adjourned.