House Appropriations advances Senate Bill 149 after questions on contract beds and approves two amendments

The House Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote advanced Senate Bill 149 to the committee of the whole after approving two amendments and answering members questions about the bills fiscal assumptions.

Representative Tatum questioned the bills fiscal note, saying she had "been looking at the fiscal note and noticing, on, I think page 13, mentioning a lot of contract staff and contract beds and that goes out quite a bit into the future," and asked whether the bill or accompanying plans would reduce reliance on contracted beds and staff given the higher cost of contracts.

The bill sponsor responded that the legislation contemplates "constructing as well as contracting new beds," but that in the immediate future the state will need to contract services while capacity is built. The sponsor said the budgeting process included a set-aside of $30,000,000 for facility hardening and that the fiscal note estimates "roughly 46 individuals will fall into this category and need the additional services," which is driving the current contracting assumptions.

Two amendments were considered and adopted. Committee members moved and passed amendment L080 without objection after it was introduced and explained; Representative Soper seconded the motion. Amendment J003 was also moved to the bill, seconded by Representative Zocai, and passed without objection. The chair closed the amendment phase after no further amendments were offered.

A committee member expressed gratitude to sponsors and staff while also voicing "tremendous anxieties about the budgetary impacts" of the policies and saying the removal of over-expenditure authority and the introduction of a "13 31" process were appreciated. That member asked that the two-week window be sufficient for staff analysis when items come to the Joint Budget Committee.

Following those exchanges, a motion to move Senate Bill 149 as amended to the committee of the whole was made and seconded by Representative Titone. Ms. Pope conducted a roll call for the motion; the roll call recorded affirmative responses from members and the motion passed unanimously. The chair thanked JBC staff, Ms. Pope, Ms. Ross and Mr. Carpenter before adjourning the committee.

The transcript does not specify the bills full substantive text or the exact populations to be served beyond the sponsors estimate of about 46 individuals, nor does it provide a detailed schedule for constructing state beds; those specifics were not stated in the committee record provided.