House passes base budgets for education and independent entities

The Utah House on Feb. 4 approved two base-budget measures and will transmit them to the Senate. Second Substitute House Bill 1, described as the base budget for public education, passed the House unanimously 72–0. Representative Last told members the bill largely carries forward last year’s base budget and that the committee chose not to change funding formulas; the committee voted to hold $35,100,000 of nonlapsing balances in the minimum school program, board levy programs, the State Office of Education, the State Charter School Board and the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind for further review.

First Substitute House Bill 6, the base budget for the Retirement and Independent Entities Appropriations Committee, also passed unanimously (73–0). Representative Powell summarized committee actions, saying the career services review office saw an 11.5% reduction proposed, DHRM (human resource management) reflected a $382,000 reduction in the general fund tied to efficiencies and lower technology costs, and the committee planned a one-time roughly $1.01 million reduction in nonlapsing balances. Representative Powell said the committee’s overall budget is approximately $20 million and the changes amount to about a 5% reduction.

Members emphasized that committees reviewed line items and that many education allocations are formula-driven and therefore require separate consideration before formula changes. The House will transmit both bills to the Senate for further consideration.

What's next: Both bills were reported to be transmitted to the Utah Senate for consideration; affected agencies (State Office of Education, State Charter School Board, Utah School for the Deaf and Blind) were expected to present proposals for the held balances in committee hearings the following days.