Appropriations committee sets agency budgets, approves DOH, revenue, technical education and more

The Joint Committee on Appropriations approved a series of budget motions on March 10, setting funding levels and authorizations for multiple state agencies including the Department of Health, Department of Revenue, the Board of Technical Education, the Bureau of Finance and Management, and the School and Public Lands office.

The committee approved the Department of Health motion sheet after staff outlined agency changes including administration items (provider inflation, an FMAP change and a telehealth line item), a change to the licensure and accreditation health-and-safety inspection rate, and reductions in pandemic-related grants. Jeff Malinoff, the committee's fiscal chief, said family and community health includes an $8,000,000 reduction in COVID stimulus grants and a $500,000 reduction in unutilized FTE and authority; laboratory services shows a $2,000,000 reduction in COVID stimulus grants. Representative Nordstrom moved to set the department budgets at the levels on the motion sheet (noting $14,590,142 in general funds, $88,392,019 in federal funds, $25,423,317 in other fund expenditure authority and 387.4 FTEs); the motion passed on a roll call reported as 18 ayes.

Committee discussion on the Department of Health included Representative Sharda's request for clarification on a line-item swap and Senator Carly's objection to the proposed inspection-rate increase, saying, "That feels too high to me...that's still taxpayer money, so I'm going to be resisting any motion on it because of that being too high." The committee nevertheless approved the motion sheet as presented.

At the Department of Revenue hearing, Bill McDonald of the Legislative Research Council reviewed motion-sheet changes. The committee approved a B3 motion to add FTE and other fund authority related to implementing the new nicotine product regulation program created by Senate Bill 221; the motion was described as self-sustaining because revenues generated by the legislation would cover program costs. The committee then set the broader Department of Revenue budgets at motion-sheet levels, which the mover said include $1,220,880 in general funds, $397,295 in federal funds, $109,913,750 in other fund authority, and 263.5 FTEs; both the B3 motion and the overall revenue motion passed by recorded vote (each reported as 18 ayes).

The Board of Technical Education motion sheet drew a separate vote. Staff noted motions to increase the per-student allocation and other adjustments. Representative Nordstrom moved to set technical education budgets (the motion sheet listed $44,713,732 in general funds and 3 FTEs); the committee approved the motion by roll call (reported as 17 ayes, 1 nay).

For the Bureau of Finance and Management, Malinoff explained that the agency's motion sheet included an account in fund 3 and described the internal billing pool used for employee compensation distribution. Senator Carly asked how the "other funds" are generated; Malinoff said they come from BFM billing other agencies. Representative Nordstrom moved to set BFM budgets (including $9,595,860 in general funds, $3,551,765 in federal funds, $23,145,442 in other fund expenditure authority, and 54 FTEs); the motion passed on a roll call reported as 17 ayes, 1 nay.

The School and Public Lands item included a short presentation and an update from Commissioner Brock Greenfield, who said the office's copier has required multiple maintenance calls since Feb. 11 and that the technology is aging; he told the committee the office "are in desperate need of something" to replace it. The committee approved an amendment to purchase a replacement printer/scanner (A4) and then set the administration budget for School and Public Lands (the motion sheet cited $907,217 in general funds, $342,052 in other fund expenditure authority and 7 FTEs). Both motions passed by roll call (each reported as 18 ayes).

Votes at a glance

- Department of Health: Motion to set DOH budgets and specified line items (a2, c3). Mover: Representative Nordstrom; Second: Representative Muckey. Result: Passed (reported 18 ayes). - Department of Revenue B3 (SB 221 staffing): Mover: Representative Kassem; Second: Representative Monke. Result: Passed (reported 18 ayes). - Department of Revenue (overall): Mover: Representative Nordstrom; Second: Representative Muckey. Result: Passed (reported 18 ayes). - Board of Technical Education: Mover: Representative Nordstrom; Second: Representative Muckey. Result: Passed (reported 17 ayes, 1 nay). - Bureau of Finance and Management: Mover: Representative Nordstrom; Second: Representative Muckey. Result: Passed (reported 17 ayes, 1 nay). - School and Public Lands A4 (printer/scanner): Mover: Representative Auk; Second: Representative Kacen. Result: Passed (reported 18 ayes). - School and Public Lands (administration budgets): Mover: Representative Nordstrom; Second: Representative Muckey. Result: Passed (reported 18 ayes).

What's next

Committee members concluded the session and scheduled follow-up hearings for additional departments the following morning. The committee approved minutes from March 9, 2026, and adjourned.

Sources: Committee staff presentations, motion-sheet summaries and roll-call results as recorded in the committee transcript.