Appropriations Committee advances deficiency bill and biennial budget; adds $84 million a year for special‑education excess costs

The Connecticut General Assembly Appropriations Committee on April 22 voted to send the governor’s deficiency appropriations bill (House Bill 6863) and the biennial budget (House Bill 6864) to the House floor after several hours of review and debate and a separate committee vote to add $84 million in both years of the biennium for special‑education excess costs.

Representative Jason Walker, co‑chair of the Appropriations Committee, opened the meeting by thanking staff and the public process, saying, “So, good morning, everybody. Today is a day that, we have been waiting for since January,” as the panel prepared to reconvene and move the package forward.

Why it matters: The deficiency bill and the two‑year budget set the state’s spending plan and immediate fixes for fiscal 2025 and the 2026–27 biennium. Committee action advances both measures to the full House, where members will debate, amend and vote. Committee members repeatedly warned that several major costs remain uncertain — including contract negotiations and Medicaid…