Madam Speaker advances bill to suspend interim committees, cites $400,000 savings

Madam Speaker brought House Bill 13 31 before the House Appropriations Committee on the committee’s first item, saying the proposal would suspend several interim committees for the 2026 interim to reduce legislative spending.

“This will save us roughly $400,000 and we eliminate 3.3 FTE,” Madam Speaker said, and noted the bill adds the TLRC Committee and the Water Resources Agricultural Review Committee to the list of suspended committees to maximize savings.

Representative Joseph asked whether the suspension of a committee that was established for a fixed five-year period would shorten that statutory term or merely delay meetings; Madam Speaker responded that expiration years are set in statute and that, if the committee resumes in 2027, it would have the remaining years available and that the statutory timeline could be revisited during a regular session.

No members of the public testified. The committee considered amendment J001, which sponsors described as the appropriate change to achieve the projected $400,000 in savings; the amendment was moved, seconded and, with no objection, passed. Madam Vice Chair then moved the bill as amended to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; a roll-call vote followed and the motion was adopted on a unanimous vote and the bill was advanced.

The committee record shows sponsors framed the suspension as a cost-saving measure during a tight budget year and emphasized that informal work and stakeholder discussions can continue during the interim even if the committee structure is suspended. The bill will next be considered in the Committee of the Whole.