Appropriations committee approves Department of Revenue budget with targeted footnotes and $42 million accounting reduction

The Appropriations Committee moved through Agency 11, the Department of Revenue, approving the governor's recommendations for the agency's 12 units while adopting a small number of targeted amendments and footnotes.

Director Richards introduced the agency budget to the committee, noting several technical points and two issues for unit 303, the property tax refund program. Senator Gru moved to add a one‑year footnote limiting the program funds to the first fiscal year of the biennium; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee recorded that the footnote was intended to align a program timing question raised during testimony with budget language.

Later in the agency review, staff flagged an accounting treatment affecting unit 701, general fund transfers, noting $42,000,000 that could be removed from the batch for accounting purposes. Director Richards explained this was an internal accounting change: “It would actually be a savings of, $42,000,000 in the accounting. No actual change on the ground.” Representative Smith moved to reduce the governor’s recommendation by that $42,000,000; the motion carried and the agency was closed on a subsequent roll call.

Routine units including administration, tax divisions and information technology were approved largely by voice vote. The committee closed Agency 11 by roll call with a unanimous recorded vote on the final agency action.

The committee’s actions on Agency 11 leave program authority and intended services unchanged while directing how certain sums are recorded and limiting one property tax refund footnote to the initial fiscal year.