Sponsor seeks authority to tap rainy-day funds for disaster recovery with Board of Public Works oversight
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Summary
A delegate presented HB 953 to let the governor transfer rainy-day funds into the State Disaster Recovery Fund, with Board of Public Works consent and a public process, to speed post-disaster repairs; the sponsor cited $12 million already allocated by the governor for recent floods and estimated $30 million needed to repair small towns.
A delegate told the Budget and Taxation Committee that House Bill 953 would allow the governor, with Board of Public Works consent and a publicly transparent process, to transfer money from the rainy day fund into the State Disaster Recovery Fund when the disaster-recovery fund lacks sufficient balance.
The sponsor cited last year's flooding in Allegany and Garrett counties and said Governor Moore provided $12,000,000 in aid that he expected to be sufficient for those communities. The sponsor described HB 953 as a mechanism to provide flexibility so governors can respond to sudden disasters that arise between budget cycles: "If we had this measure in place, governor Moore could have used it to potentially transfer those $12,000,000 during last summer or last fall." He said DLS recommended a $15,000,000 floor for the disaster fund but current balances are lower.
The presenter emphasized that guardrails would be preserved because spending would still follow the State Disaster Recovery Fund rules and procurement regulations; he said the change is intended to speed assistance and then allow backfill in subsequent budget cycles.
No individualized committee vote on HB 953 is recorded in the transcript; the committee moved its voting list to a voice vote at the end of the hearing.
