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Senators seek clarity on PSS 25% calculation and roughly $6 million in pending lapse funds
Summary
Committee probed how the 25% Public School System allocation for FY2027 was calculated and asked for documentation after officials said the calculation subtracts special and unsuspended earmarks from gross budgetary growth; members also identified roughly $4.9M (HB 24-70) and additional lapse funds totaling about $6M pending appropriation from FY25.
Senators on the Fiscal Affairs Committee pressed finance officials May 14 for the worksheet used to calculate the Public School System's 25% share of available appropriation and to explain how lapse funds from FY25 were treated.
"We took the total budgetary sources available and we subtracted the earmarks' the unsuspended earmarks and the special earmarks ' and then from that net amount we took 25% of that and that's how we arrived at the 37.7 million," the special assistant said when asked to explain the PSS calculation. Committee members asked why the PSS allocation appears larger in the proposal than the amount appropriated in the most recent enacted budget and requested the underlying arithmetic.
Senators also flagged a set of pending House bills and lapse funds that could affect available cash: officials identified House Bill 24-70 (about $4.9 million, identified as lapse funds related to PSS), House Bill 24-74 (~$1 million from MPLT), and House Bill 24-75 (~$3.7 million) as items that are pending action or in process. Finance staff acknowledged that some pots of money are available but cannot be spent without appropriation and that autonomous agencies have reporting responsibilities on unspent balances.
Committee members asked finance to provide a line‑by‑line reconciliation showing where the $2.1 million figure cited during the hearing originated and to clarify whether those funds are already obligated, laps funds, or true surplus. Finance agreed to gather documentation and return with the requested breakdown for the committee's next meeting.
