JBC approves staff recommendation for Legislative Council and Blue Book funding; $3.1M requested for ballot analysis

The Joint Budget Committee approved staff recommendations on Legislative Council and General Assembly line items and recorded a 6‑0 vote on the motion during its Feb. 17 meeting.

Director Craig Harper told the committee the long bill carries a small number of Legislative Branch appropriations, including statutorily required studies and the annual ballot analysis (the Blue Book). Legislative Counsel requested $3,100,000 of general fund for FY26‑27 to support drafting and distribution of the Blue Book; Harper said the amount is higher in even (election) years because there are generally more measures to analyze.

A member moved the staff recommendation to adopt the Legislative Council and General Assembly items; the motion passed without objection and was recorded as a 6‑0 vote.

What’s next: Harper said there are no decision items for the Committee today beyond that packet and that future placeholders may be needed to account for the Legislative Appropriation Bill when Executive Committee actions are finalized.