April 24, 2026 · Appropriations · 3,020 words · 12 speakers · 210 segments
. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Looks like we have a full house, so to speak. The Senate Committee on Appropriations will come to order. Mr. Catlett, please call the roll.
Senators Gonzalez. Good morning.
Kirkmeyer. Here.
Coker. Here.
Liston. Here.
Pelton. Here.
Mr. Vice Chair. Here.
Madam Chair. Here. First up, we have Senate Bill 23. and Senator Kirkmeyer. Maybe Senator Kolker would like to do it. Alright, Senator Kolker.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move Senate Bill 23 with an amendment L015 to start us off.
And not J1 or...
J1, sorry.
And J1, but not...
And 16? Not 16? And 16.
And 16. I didn't know I could move them both, all three at the same time.
You can move them all at the same time.
Okay. Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsors?
Senator Bridges. Thank you, Madam Chair. What are these? What do they do?
Senator Kolker. Thank you. First of all, Amendment 15 allows some students who are placed in out-of-state facilities due to high needs. This legislative change would increase the set-aside to pay for these students to $1 million, dollars allow the funding to be used for out-of-state placements and would allow the state board of ed to set some considerations and processes for determining residencies in this case in these cases in rule it is important to note that this is not an increase to the overall state budget it actually comes off of the exceptional children's educational act total funding and we can discuss more about that between what tier b is so it won't affect ours what's really happening is kids who have severe needs are being charged to local districts based on where their parents live, even though they may not be enrolled in that school and they're sent out of state for placement. And so then it's, it's coming off of the district's allocation. So we're just putting it here off of the ECEA. And then Senator Kirkmeyer. Thank you. And then
amendment 16 is just to sponsor an amendment, makes changes to the healthy school meals for
program to allow the charter school sites to apply for and receive the local food program and wages and stipends. I think we talked about this at the Joint
Budget Committee as well. Okay, committee members are there any further questions? Are there any objections to L015 Seeing none L015 is adopted Any objections to L016 Seeing none L016 is adopted Any questions about J001 or objection Seeing none, J1 is adopted. Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of Senate Bill 23 as amended.
Thank you.
But the staff is. These are two minutes. Okay. I think I had one of them down this side. Senators Gonzalez.
Aye.
Kirkmeyer. Aye.
Colker. Aye.
Liston. Aye.
Pelton. Aye.
Mr. Vice Chair. Aye.
Madam Chair. Aye. That bill passes unanimously. Mr. Vice Chair, is that?
Madam Chair, we don't want consent. We may have something else to add. I wouldn't want an unconsent either because I have some things that I'd like to say about it on the floor.
Okay. Okay. That will not be on the consent calendar. Next up, we have Senate Bill 93, and Senator Sullivan is here. Senator Sullivan, would you like us to run – would you like us to move J1 and L4? Or –
I have L4.
Okay. Mr. Vice Chair, I believe we're not running J1. Thank you Madam Chair. I move Senate Bill 93 and L004.
Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsor about the bill or the amendments?
Senator Kirkmeyer. Thank you Madam Chair. In reading through on the fiscal note here real quickly, it looks like L4 removes the expenditures. Does it also, and the revenues and the expenditures, does it also remove the FTE?
Senator Sullivan. Thank you Madam Chair. And I don't have that explanation in mind, but I mean we didn't have an FTE going in. I don't know where the FTE is. A third of an FTE?
Is that who you're talking about? Yeah.
I would assume that that would be taken care of.
Senator Kirkmeyer. Okay.
So can anyone answer that question with regard to it?
Ms. Kanagaraja. Thank you. J.B. Kanagaraja, J.B.C. staff. Yeah, those FTE are not appropriated through L4, so it removes that too.
Okay, great. Thank you. Okay. Are there any objections to the adoption of L4? Seeing none, L4 is adopted.
Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of Senate Bill 93 as amended by L4. Senators Gonzalez Aye Kirkmeyer
No
Colker
Aye
Liston
No
Pelton
No
Mr. Vice Chair
Aye
Madam Chair
Aye
That bill passes 4-3
Next up We have Senate Bill 116 and we have J1 and L7. I think we, would you like us to run L7 and not J1?
Exactly so, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Mr. Vice Chair.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move Senate Bill 116 and L007.
Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsor?
Senator Kirkmeyer. So L7 removes the fiscal note in its entirety?
Yes.
Thank you.
Okay. Committee members, any objection to L7? Seeing none, L7 is adopted.
Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of Senate Bill 116 as amended by L7. Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer.
No.
Colker.
Aye.
Liston.
No.
Pelton.
No.
Mr. Vice Chair.
Aye.
Adam chair hi that bill passes four to three we are going to at the sponsors request layover Senate bill 148 until Tuesday and next up we have Senate bill Bill 155, and I do not see the sponsor. Well I think let's just move that to the end of the calendar for now. We'll move Senate Bill 155 to the end of the calendar and then we'll see where we go from there. Next up then, we have House Bill 1008. And I see Senator Rich is here.
Mr. Vice Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move House Bill 1008.
Okay. Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsor on 1008?
Senator Kolker. Thank you. I made note of it and looked at this this morning. Like the previous bill, this has a TABOR refund paid from the general fund by $13,195, thus reducing the general fund set aside. Are we able to cover that in our already somewhat settled budget? And this would be for the sponsor or for JBC staff.
Senator Rich.
I think I would defer to the JBC staff.
Okay. Can anybody... Hello, Senator Marchman. The question is from Senator Kolker regarding the fiscal impact of the bill. Were you asking about the $39,000 or the $13,000?
Senator Kolker. Thank you, Madam Chair. The Tabor refund paid from the general fund is $13,195, thus it reduces the general fund set aside by $13,195. I'm asking if this has been taken to account in our overall budget because I thought our budget was done, and this is $13,000 that will reduce our budget general fund availability. I know it's not a lot, but I just want to make sure that we're covering it.
Senator Marchman.
You right and that why there was a revised fiscal note we had missed that when vehicles are leased they are not leased as a part of the enterprise So those funds it this year and then it is that next year Those are outside of the budget. Conceptually, we have been talking about keeping, just taking the leases off to get rid of this, if need be. DNR wanted to lease it's either four or nine vehicles and I apologize I don't remember how many but in talking to them yesterday they could scramble together the vehicles they have and come back for a budget request if this is going to be an issue
Senator Kirkmeyer I think that's a great idea so do you want us to lay this over or were you anticipating that you would have an amendment on the floor to do that?
Senator Marchman.
Yes. I think we will do. We have the amendment in the works, and if it's okay, we would love to move that on the floor.
That's acceptable to me. Do you trust me?
I actually do trust you, Senator Marchman. That's really cool to hear.
I agree.
And we will absolutely take care of this on the floor. This was a conversation I just had yesterday because it came to my attention too.
Okay. I understand.
Are there further questions on this bill? No.
Seeing none, Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of House Bill 1008.
As to be amended.
Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer.
With a commitment from both sponsors, I'm an aye.
Colker.
Aye.
Liston.
Aye.
Pelton aye mr. vice-chair aye for today madam chair aye that bill passes unanimously but we won't put it on the consent calendar because we know there's an amendment coming next up we have House Bill 10-0-9 and I see senator
Wallace mr. vice chair oh I'm so sorry it's okay senator Pelton thank you madam Chair, I move House Bill 26-1009 and not the J Amendment.
And not the J Amendment. Okay, committee members, questions for the bill sponsors? Where is 1009? What are you moving? Did you move the amendment? Okay, I'm sorry.
Senator Kirkmeyer. Sorry, I'm good.
You're good.
I thought I was moving an amendment, so no.
Senator Bridges. Thank you, Madam Chair. Was this unanimous in committee?
Senator Pelton. Senator Wallace.
I was only there for part of it. I do not believe it was unanimous in committee, but I can double-check.
Okay. Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of House Bill 1009. Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer.
Aye.
Colkert.
Aye.
Liston.
Aye.
Pelton.
Aye.
Mr. Vice Chair.
Aye.
Madam Chair.
Aye. That bill passes unanimously. And I would not want it on the consent just in case. Okay. So thank you. We're not going to do that. It wasn't unanimous. All right. Thank you. Okay. Next up we have Senate Bill 1088. 1088. Or no. 53. I'm sorry. Senate Bill 1053. I was like, no, those are the same two people. We must have already done that.
Senator Pelton. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move House Bill 26, 1053.
Committee members, any questions about 1053?
Senator Kirkmeyer. Could you just explain to us why the bill is in front of us here?
Senator Pelton. Yes. It was sent to a probes because we did not – well, it was sent to a probes because the department felt like that we were –
Is it the cash funds?
Yes, the cash funds. That's why. And also that we were asking for an updated fiscal note at one point because we felt like this was going to save money, that it does not reflect in the bill or in the fiscal note. Okay.
Thank you.
Committee members, or Mr. Catlett, can you poll the committee on the adoption of 1053?
Senators Gonzalez Aye Kirkmeyer
Aye
Colker
Aye
Liston
Aye
Pelton
Aye
Mr. Vice Chair
Aye
Madam Chair
Aye
That bill passes unanimously
And is that a candidate for the No No 1053 Nope Just in case Okay I'll put it on Yep Okay, thank you Okay. Next up, we have Senate Bill 1088. Senator Kolker.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move House Bill 26-1088.
All right. Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsor?
Seeing none, Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of House Bill 1088. Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer aye Colker aye this then
Pelton no mr. vice-chair madam chair hi that bill passes six to one next up we We have House Bill 1113, and it does have a J amendment.
Mr. Vice Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move House Bill 1113 and the J amendment, J001.
Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsors? Seeing none, are there any objections to the adoption of J001? Any objections to J001? Seeing none, J001 is adopted.
Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of House Bill 1113 and as amended by J001. one. Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer. No. Colker. Aye. Liston. No. Pelton. No. Mr. Vice
Chair. Aye. Madam Chair. Aye. That bill passes four to three. Thank you, committee. I would like to have a senatorial five. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Just, okay. I just didn't see Mullica here and your name's not on it, so. Okay, next up we will hear, we're back. First up, we'll hear Senate Bill 155, which we had moved to the end of the calendar. And we have the bill and a J-001. Sponsors, would you like us to move the bill and the J-amendment?
Mr. Vice Chair. Thank you. I can't nod. That was a yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move Senate Bill 155 and J-001.
Committee members, any questions for the bill sponsors?
Senator Colker. Thank you. Same question I had on the other bill. This increases cash fund or Tabor refunds excuse me to the general fund even though it a cash fund I believe by How are we balancing the budget How are we going to handle that in the budget that has already pretty much been settled?
Senator Markman.
It's an enterprise, so it's Tabor exempt. There's no Tabor impacts on this fiscal.
Senator Kolker. Thank you.
It does say it is a Tabor refund. Oh, on the canary. Non-exempt revenue.
Am I ready?
Senator Kirkmeyer, did you have a?
Senator Bridges. Thank you, Madam Chair. Oh, and there's an expert here, too. I'm getting finger points out.
Yes, we might have to bring up our expert.
I believe that the mechanism here, what costs money, is the same thing that costs money in 1008. which is that the Department of Law will be providing legal services for this enterprise. Not that the fees collected aren't Tabor-exempt. The fees collected are Tabor-exempt, although money going into the enterprise is Tabor-exempt. But because the enterprise will have legal services provided to it by the Department of Law, there is a 0.3 FTE increase in the Department of Law in order to provide those legal services. That's the cost. Okay. And that's what the J that's what the J amendment pays for. That's what the J amendment does. So if we don't move the J amendment, then we don't have that cost. If we don't move it. Well, uh, Senator Bridges, if we don't move the J amendment, the department of law will just have to absorb that cost and still provide legal services because that's what the department of law does.
Senator Mullica.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe, uh, if the committee would, uh, uh, um, do us a solid, you can withdraw the J amendment if you would be willing to do that. Is that what you're saying is withdraw the J amendment and then you don't have the 69,000 I think? Or you can object to it? Yeah, we can object.
Because we'll have data in the House.
Senator Bridges. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just go ahead and I'll withdraw my motion for the J and we'll just go right to the bill without any money appropriated to it.
Senator Kirkmeyer.
We withdraw motions all the time. but. Shall we? I don't know. I don't know either. Shall we have a senatorial five? Okay. Does object mean voted down? Yes. The amendment. Okay, we can come back. Senator? Sure. Well, Senator Kirkmeyer has a comment.
My question is about the bill itself. Okay.
Senator Bridges.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Ed DiCecco will say that custom and practice of the Senate supersedes Masons in terms of order of precedent for how it is that we follow the rules and we withdraw motions all the time. That being said, let's just dispense with this with a vote. So I object to J-001.
Let's do a vote.
I would just like to say that just because we don't adopt the J amendment doesn't mean the cost actually goes away. So just to be clear about that, if there's some cost, then that cost still exists.
But Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of J-001. Senators Gonzalez. No. Kuchmeier.
I agree with what you just said. Fine.
Kulker.
No.
Lisbon.
No.
Pelton.
No.
Mr. Vice Chair.
Aye.
Madam Chair.
Aye. I have no idea where we ended up.
3-4.
Okay. So that amendment fails by a vote of 3-4.
Senator Kirkmeyer. Well, a comment and then a question. A comment is I'm sure the AG is probably going to tell us next year in the budget process that he needs a .3 FTE, so you're right about that we didn't really save any money back. Unless, of course, we don't give it to him. So, but the enterprise revenue cap, I see where it's really very clever that you're going to get $99.6 million and Proposition 117, if you exceed $100 million in the first five fiscal years, that it would require voter approval. So what happens if you end up exceeding $100 million and it's in year five?
Senator Marchman.
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Senator Kirkmeyer, for the question. we would ratchet down the fee rate so that we would stay below the 100 million each year.
Senator Kirkmeyer. And is that in the bill already?
Yes. I'm adding it right through the bill. Senator Marshman. Yes, but now I want to go find it for you. So give me a second. Okay.
Any other questions for the bill sponsors? No. That's okay. I can read it in the fiscal note here. It says it's there.
Okay. Mr. Catlett, please poll the committee on the adoption of Senate Bill 155. Senators Gonzalez. Aye. Kirkmeyer.
No.
Colkert.
Yes.
Liston.
Respectfully, no.
Pelton.
No.
Mr. Vice Chair.
Aye.
Madam Chair.
Aye. That bill passes 4-3. You don't have to. Okay.
Page 12, Senator Kirkmeyer. Thank you.
I think that we're done now. So that concludes today's episode of Senate Appropriations. We are adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.