House Fiscal Agency reports underspending; quarterly report approved by committee

Jared, a House Fiscal Agency staff member, presented the agency's quarterly expenditure report to a Michigan House committee and described the agency as underspending year to date before the committee voted to approve the report.

The presentation outlined that the appropriation for the House Fiscal Agency in the fiscal year 2024–25 budget is $4,700,000 and that year-to-date spending is below the appropriation. "I actually don't do the day to day financials of, of the budget. The House Business Office, does all of our financials, for us," Jared said. He added that 83% of the HFA budget covers salaries, wages, health care and retirement costs and that the House Business Office line accounts for about 12% of the budget and "is a number that does float." Jared said the report covers expenditures through the end of February (five months).

The presentation said the House Fiscal Agency employs 23 people, including fiscal analysts, legislative analysts and administrative support staff. During a brief question-and-answer exchange, a committee member observed that year-to-date expenditures were "only at 30%" and Jared and other members clarified that some House Business Office expenditures are not paid until the end of the fiscal period, which lowers the YTD percentage.

Representative Hall moved to approve the quarterly report. The clerk conducted a roll call; Chair Boland, Speaker Hall, Representative Posthumus, Representative Farhat, Representative Hurry and Representative Fitzgerald were recorded as voting yes during the roll call. A subsequent report to the chair stated, "Madam Chair, you have 68 n a 0 past the quarterly report is approved," indicating the committee approved the report with a 68–0 tally reported.

The committee had no further business and adjourned after the vote.