Conference negotiators press to move treasurer package into budget, debate $100,000 for victim services and legal-aid funding

Conference negotiators meeting on May 19 continued negotiations over a cluster of budget items tied to the treasurer’s package and weighed several one-time and ongoing funding shifts, but deferred final commitments pending clearer sources for some costs.

The group treated lines related to the treasurer and a policy research manager as a single package that should be considered together, Chair said, and discussed moving study language — including an amortization task force provision tied to Senator Hardy’s language — into the budget so the study could be concurred quickly. "We should probably move that language over, into the budget as well," the Chair said, arguing the shift would let the body concur without reworking multiple bills.

Negotiators debated a proposed one-time $100,000 appropriation for crime victim services. Committee members repeatedly asked where the $100,000 would come from; the Chair suggested reallocating prior one-time funds (including amounts tied to vetoed items and position savings) but said the precise source remained unresolved. "Where's the $100,000 coming from?" a Committee member asked; the Chair answered that staff would identify potential one-time funds to cover the request.

Participants also questioned a $100,000 placeholder for a planned adult day center, saying the appropriation felt premature without a location, staffing plan or an identified grantee. "It feels that it's very premature to give money when there isn't even any kind of a plan or location," the Chair said. Another Committee member countered that without seed money "Dale is not gonna take this seriously," arguing a funded line would prompt departmental attention.

The group agreed to several technical and transfer changes intended to free money. Chair and members agreed to remove a proposed transfer to community resilience and instead direct funds straight to AOT, and to eliminate a transfer to the IT internal service (CIT) fund, which negotiators said would free up resources for other priorities.

Legal-aid funding also drew attention: the Chair reported the helpline’s caseload rose from roughly 11,000 to about 22,000 calls year-over-year and noted that the general-fund contribution listed in the bill was about $56,000; with federal matching the total could reach roughly $100,000. Members discussed seeking larger support — the Chair said some negotiators hoped to get to $200,000 in total funding — and asked staff to outline matching and source options.

Several other items were discussed but not finalized, including position-count shifts (base vs. one-time costs), removing or retaining small technical appropriations, and consolidating language for parent-child and community social services rather than naming a single organization. Negotiators scheduled follow-up meetings for the coming days to present bundled proposals and firm up funding sources. "We're gonna meet tomorrow at 01:15 and 03:30," a Committee member said; additional sessions were set for Thursday and possibly Friday morning.

No final motions or votes were recorded in the transcript; negotiators repeatedly deferred definitive action until staff could confirm funding sources and prepared language.