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Senate committee hears routine supplemental requests as agencies seek one-time relief
Summary
The Senate Finance and Claims Committee heard House Bill 3, the biennial supplemental appropriations bill, with agency officials explaining one-time needs including a DOJ settlement, wildfire suppression costs for Fish, Wildlife & Parks, corrections’ out-of-state inmate holds, and an OPI legal and staffing shortfall. No committee vote was taken on HB 3 during this hearing.
Representative Lou Jones opened the hearing on House Bill 3, the regular supplemental appropriations bill lawmakers use to close fiscal-year budget gaps through June 30. He summarized the bill’s function and said agency experts in the room would explain why specific additional funds are needed.
Budget Office Assistant Director Ryan Evans testified for the executive branch, describing HB 3 as the bill that ‘helps some impacted agencies be able to close the books and ultimately pay the bills that are due prior to June 30.’ He said the numbers presented reflect mitigation and cost-containment efforts and noted three executive-requested amendments for Corrections, the Office of Public Construction and the Department of Justice would be offered before executive action.
Committee members pressed agency officials for detail. Will Self, chief of staff to the attorney general, told senators an amendment reflects a one-time DOJ settlement authority that grew from under $1 million to about $4 million after a case was identified and the department listed an initial offer from opposing counsel; Self said the amount was intentionally described vaguely so as not to hinder settlement negotiations.
Lena Havron, chief financial officer for Fish, Wildlife & Parks, said two FWP requests include about $950,000 for firefighting costs after a prescribed burn at Nevada Lake WMA and roughly $500,000 for legal settlements tied to wolf, wolverine and grizzly litigation; she said the expenditures come from license funds and could not be covered without cutting programs. Department of Corrections representatives said growth in ‘out-of-state holds’—maintaining over 400 state inmates in county jails—drove an expanded supplemental request; they reported transfers are underway and expect the number to drop substantially after another shipment.
April Grady, chief financial officer for the Office of Public Instruction, explained a $617,000 amendment added funding for legal costs and several positions that transitioned from federal to general-fund support as grants (such as ESSER funds) wound down.
The hearing closed without committee action after the sponsor waived closing remarks; agency staff remained available for follow-up questions. The bill’s detailed fiscal note identifies line-item shortfalls and proposed one-time supplemental appropriation authorities, which the budget office said will revert to originating funds if not fully used.
The committee did not vote on HB 3 at this meeting; agency proponents said they will present formal amendment language before any executive action.
