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Appropriations committee approves supplemental report‑backs, moves $6.68 million to surplus
Summary
The Maine Legislature’s Appropriations Committee unanimously approved dozens of report‑back items tied to the Governor’s supplemental budget, approving a $6,678,121 transfer to the general fund unappropriated surplus, multiple personnel and program transfers to the Department of Energy Resources, and several language changes affecting employee health insurance and inland fisheries.
The Appropriations Committee met to consider report‑backs on the Governor’s supplemental budget and moved dozens of line‑item adjustments and language changes, voting unanimously on each item brought forward.
Committee members opened by introducing themselves and then turned to the Tax Committee report‑back. Representative Drew Gatine said, “I’d like to move reference numbers three and reference number four in,” describing those items as adjustments in the Bureau of Revenue Services that increase general fund appropriations and reduce federal ARP State Fiscal Recovery funds to reverse a one‑time change enacted in Public Law 2023, chapter 643 for fiscal year 2024‑25. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Why it matters: the items considered were largely technical and administrative transfers and reclassifications intended to align fiscal accounts and program authority with projected expenditures and recent public laws. The committee also approved a one‑time transfer of $6,678,121 (Part Q) authorizing the state controller to move that amount to the unappropriated surplus of the general fund.
Other approved items included: • A reclassification in the Bureau of Revenue Services to convert one business systems administrator position to a tax second manager (reference 5). • Multiple internal fund transfers moving 'all other' funds from Executive Department programs (including the former Governor’s Energy Office, Distributed Solar and Energy Storage, and Offshore Wind programs) into corresponding programs in the Department of Energy Resources to align accounts with Public Law 2025, chapters 388 and 476. • Language (Part E) repealing the requirement for a separate administration account for the state employee health insurance program and clarifying that administrative costs be included in the Internal Service Fund; the committee moved that language as presented. • Establishment of the Inland Fisheries Conservation and Enhancement Program (Part FFF) to prioritize native inland fish conservation, research and management. • A reclassification in the judicial marshals line (reference 549) moving one Director of State Judicial Marshals from range 22 to range 23, retroactive to May 14, 2025. • Personnel and rate adjustments in HHS programs to achieve parity with MaineCare cost‑of‑living increases (lines including 7–9, 43, 66, 139–140) and continuation of three limited‑period rehabilitation counselor positions through June 19, 2027 (reference 565). • An increase in hours for a Chemist 2 position in the Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (lines 178–179), from 32 to 80 hours, with funding split 62% General Fund and 38% other special revenue funds and an internal transfer to cover the personal services cost. • DEP capital equipment purchases under Part SS to fund ozone calibrators, monitors and other air quality instruments.
Several committee members emphasized that many of the energy‑related items are accounting and program transfers — shifting funds from legacy Executive Department accounts into the Department of Energy Resources — rather than new spending. Representative Jack Ducharme said, “for clarity… the money’s coming out of one pot here and going to this pot and just really just changing the name.”
Votes and process: nearly every item taken up was moved, seconded and approved by unanimous voice vote; the record shows the committee did not conduct roll‑call tallies for these motions. The committee also noted upcoming business: the Governor’s change package is expected tomorrow and a presentation by the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) commissioner was tentatively scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to present that package.
What’s next: the committee will reconvene for the DAFS commissioner’s presentation and may take additional votes on the supplemental change package following that briefing.
