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Legislative committee approves FY2026–27 budget, authorizes two audit positions and partial IT staffing
Summary
The Committee on Legislative Budget approved the Legislature’s FY2026–27 budget with amendments, authorized two audit-style positions with a not-to-exceed funding cap, kept CTO/CISO half-year funding, and removed several line items including a K–12 simulator and unused special-session funds.
The Committee on Legislative Budget approved the Legislature’s fiscal 2026–27 budget on a series of voice votes after debate over staffing, technology and reappropriations. Committee members authorized two new audit-style positions and set funding parameters while retaining partial-year funding for newly hired IT roles.
The presenter told members the approved FY2026 budget without reappropriations was $34,500,000 and noted $3,200,000 in State General Fund reappropriations that the Senate restored after the State Budget Committee had deleted them. The presenter said several items — including a $2.6 million CALIS modernization paid from ARPA funds, a $500,000 House voting board upgrade, and a $400,000 allocation for Amazon Web Services (AWS) conversion and mainframe retirement — were reflected in the packet presented to the committee.
Members spent significant time on personnel costs. The committee discussed the addition of a chief information technology officer (CTO) and a chief information security officer (CISO), each budgeted at roughly half a year of compensation in FY26, and a 4.4% legislative compensation increase and a separate 5.5% session staff pay adjustment. Tom, a staff adviser, told the committee the fiscal note for a comparable position had been prepared using a $150,000 base and benefits of about 37 percent, producing a roughly $202,000 per-position estimate with benefits.
Debate centered on two audit-type positions (described in committee discussion as a fiscal integrity or legislative post‑audit capacity). Committee members discussed whether those positions should be funded through the committee’s own action or through the broader budgeting process. The committee ultimately moved, and by voice vote approved, creation of two positions with a not-to-exceed combined funding cap of $250,000 and partial (one-quarter) funding in FY26, with discretion on placement and hiring given to the Speaker and the Senate president.
Several line items were removed or modified before final approval. The committee voted to remove funding for a proposed K–12 funding simulator in FY26 and FY27, and to strike a $400,000 line for a redistricting special session that did not occur. Staff clarified that many projects (the House voting board replacement, AWS migration and some compensation changes) had been completed or charged to reappropriations; the committee moved to restore reappropriation authority to cover completed work except the struck $400,000 special-session amount.
After the amendments, the Chair moved to accept the Legislature’s FY26–27 budget as presented with the committee’s changes; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
The committee also discussed the Indica/Indigev CRM contract and the Propelon bill‑drafting system (see separate articles). The presenter noted $2.6 million in ARPA funds was appropriated for the Propelon system and that authority to expend those funds will expire in October unless further action is taken.
The committee adjourned after completing all budget actions.
