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JFO issues budget‑prep memo to agencies and plans January workshops to clarify submissions
Summary
The Joint Fiscal Office circulated an October memo to agencies (on behalf of Rep. Shai and Sen. Perchlik) asking for more contextual budget materials and will hold two January workshops: one on budgeting priorities and one on reading the large bill and contingency lists.
The committee reviewed the Joint Fiscal Office's outreach to state agencies aimed at improving the quality of budget presentations and helping legislators and staff find needed supporting materials.
"This is the letter that was shared with agencies and departments," Emily Burns said, adding the memo was circulated in October to guide departments on what JFO and legislative committees expect when agencies present budgets.
Burns said the goal is to move agencies beyond brief "ups and downs" slides toward more informative submissions that show program scale, prior‑year accomplishments and relevant context so legislators can ask targeted accountability questions. The letter was distributed on behalf of Rep. Shai and Sen. Perchlik; Burns said it and related guidance will appear on the committee website.
JFO also described two planned January workshops: an interactive budgeting exercise for members and staff to practice prioritization and a session showing participants how to read the large budget bill, locate contingency lists and prior appropriations, and navigate linked spreadsheets. Burns said details will be available in early January and that JFO will help agencies prepare materials where needed.
Committee members agreed that stronger, more consistent agency documentation would help prioritization and suggested example budget books as models to replicate. No formal action was taken.
