Rules committee approves $38.5 billion FY27 budget, places bills on calendar; Kirkpatrick presents DPH cleanup bill

The rules committee voted to approve the fiscal year 2027 budget, which the record identifies as totaling $38,500,000,000 and representing about a 2% increase over the original FY26 budget.

"This time, it's a $38,500,000,000 budget with about a 2% increase over last year's original FY26 budget," Chairman Hatchett said as he summarized the measure. The chair called for a motion to approve; a motion and second were recorded on the voice, and the chair announced the motion "It's approved," with no opposition audible in the transcript. The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the spoken record.

Separately, Mr. Kirkpatrick described a Department of Public Health (DPH) cleanup bill he brought to the committee, saying it is intended to remove obsolete or unused code sections and to update statutes to reflect current program operations. "It does not create any new programs, expand any regulatory authority, or change any benefits," Mr. Kirkpatrick said, adding he would be happy to answer questions. No substantive questions or debate on the bill are recorded in the transcript.

The committee also set calendars for multiple items. Under the committee's modified structure the chair moved and members approved (by voice) placing House Resolution 145 and House Resolution 948 on today's calendar. The chair placed House Bill 974 (the FY27 budget) on the calendar for the following day under a modified open structure. The committee likewise moved Senate Bill 239 and Senate Bill 420 onto the calendar for further consideration; the record includes a clarification that the item is Senate Bill 420, not House Bill 420. The spoken record shows motions were moved and seconded and recorded as "on" for each item; no roll-call tallies were provided.

The committee scheduled its next meeting for tomorrow at 9 a.m. and adjourned.