Appropriations committee advances Senate Bill 197, citing technical budget cleanups and targeted allocations

The House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue voted April 15 to report Senate Bill 197, as amended by PHS 2, favorably to the full House after a committee roll-call. Chair Petrie said the measure is being used largely as a session-end cleanup that adjusts allocations and clarifies language from related bills.

The bill includes several items carried or modified from other measures, Chair Petrie told the committee. Among the provisions he highlighted were restoration of base funding for postsecondary education at FY2026 levels, a $3,000,000 allocation to Kentucky State University to support its transition to a Polytechnic Institution, and additional bond funding consistent with Senate Bill 185 for capital projects. Petrie also said one Moorhead project was removed while a residence-hall project was added back and that language for Eastern Kentucky University’s aviation program was adjusted to ensure proper placement and funding.

On K–12 education, Petrie said the bill restores language related to hiring and administrative salaries and provides funding for assessments and accountability provisions connected to House Bill 257. He also described a $10,000,000 NGE allocation to address emergency needs and temporary facilities at Estill County Middle School and said Robinson Elementary (Perry County) is included for replacement; the transcript references expected interaction with FEMA reimbursements but the transcript’s wording about the prior damage is unclear.

Public-health and emergency-response funding appear in the bill as well: Petrie said public health departments would receive increases of $3,956,000 in each year of the biennium. He also noted an emergency fire-suppression NGE authority with a capped limit the governor requested late in the process. The committee was also told a new publication requirement would require listing both Eastern and Central times when an event is announced.

Representative Bozanowski asked whether state or federal law would preclude awarding contracts that include the ACT for college-entrance assessments. Chair Petrie responded, "As far as federal interaction or other state law interaction, I'm not gonna speak to that. But I think what the intent is and the language to follow in the bill is to make sure that we have the ACT for our longitudinal data purposes, and the SAT would be, something that could be considered at a later date." Bozanowski also asked whether funding for Governor Scholars was set in the base; Petrie said Governor Scholars and related programs were already in the base, and the language was included to make that allocation visible.

A motion and second were made for final passage of SB 197 as amended by PHS 2. The committee completed a roll-call vote; the transcript records most members responding with 'Yes' or 'Pass' and one 'No' from Representative Lockett. Chair Petrie said the bill "having received 17 pass votes will be reported with that favorable expression" and will be sent to the floor. The committee then adopted a title amendment by voice vote.

Votes at a glance: SB 197 as amended by PHS 2 — Committee report: favorably reported to the House floor; Chair statement: "received 17 pass votes." Reported recorded 'No' vote: Representative Lockett. The roll-call replies in the transcript use varied responses ("Yes," "Pass," "Hi"), which the committee chair summarized as 17 pass votes.

The committee ended proceedings after adopting the title amendment; the bill will proceed to the full House for consideration.