Appropriations Act draft totals: $8.553 billion general fund over biennium; highway fund up ~19%

LCB fiscal staff presented BDR 12‑28, the draft Appropriations Act, which implements money committee decisions for state general fund and highway fund appropriations for the 2025–27 biennium. Nancy Morris and Alex Hartz summarized the bill's structure, totals and notable back‑language provisions.

Staff said sections 1–34 include general fund appropriations totaling $4,209,000,000 in FY26 and $4,344,000,000 in FY27 for an $8.553 billion biennial total — an approximate 21.5 percent increase compared with the prior biennium. Highway fund appropriations total $198.3 million in FY26 and $201.7 million in FY27 (about $400 million across the biennium), a roughly 19 percent increase from the previous biennium.

The Appropriations Act draft contains many continuing, carryforward and transfer provisions: expanded reversion and carryforward rules for projects and accounts; exceptions and nonreversion language for specific programs such as workforce innovation accounts and the governor's office budgeting for merit awards; and suspensions of transfers to the rainy day fund for the biennium. The draft also contains appropriations and language for the Supreme Court (including funding for an independent technology unit), several one‑time appropriations and directives concerning the timing of claims and controller processing.

Senator Titus asked about Section 85, which triggers corrective actions if projected ending general fund balance falls below $175 million; staff said revenue monitoring is ongoing and the trigger would rely on monitoring by the governor's finance office and the fiscal analysis division rather than a single scheduled projection. The Appropriations Act BDR was presented for information and not voted on at this meeting.