Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Process topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee amends and passes Senate Bill 14 to set fallback appropriations parameters
Summary
The House Appropriations Committee approved amendments to and passed out Senate Bill 14, which adds provisions describing fallback appropriations should the governor veto an entire appropriations bill and the Legislature fail to override. Two committee amendments were adopted before favorable passage.
The House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 27 considered and passed out Senate Bill 14 after adopting two amendments that modify fallback budget procedures if an entire appropriations bill is vetoed by the governor.
Representative Williams moved to report Senate Bill 14 favorably for passage; Representative Hoffmann seconded the motion. Representative Hoffmann offered an amendment (described in committee as a “balloon” amendment) to provide appropriations language that would apply if the governor vetoes the entire appropriations bill and the Legislature fails to override the veto. The amendment specifies that, in that scenario, the provisions in the bill would take effect for the ensuing fiscal year to avoid a policy vacuum. The amendment was seconded by Representative Francis and adopted by voice vote.
Representative Estes then moved a conceptual amendment to add a definition of “continuing appropriation” for the bill; Representative Mosher seconded. Staff counsel Jill explained the intended definition would mean the appropriations made in the previous fiscal year. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote.
After debate, Representative Williams again moved to pass Senate Bill 14 as amended; Representative Hoffmann seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote and reported the bill favorably out of committee.
The committee’s action included two adopted amendments: a Hoffman amendment creating the fallback appropriations trigger if a full veto is sustained and an Estes amendment adding a definition clarifying that “continuing appropriation” refers to the prior fiscal year’s appropriations. Committee members discussed timing concerns (for example whether June 30 is sufficient) and the difference between a full veto and a line‑item veto. There was no recorded roll‑call tally in the transcript; the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill by voice vote.
