Emily Burns: House budget adds $75,000 for Joint Fiscal Office pre‑K study

Emily Burns, identifying herself as with Michael's Law office, told the conference committee she would "give you a quick overview of the binder that we all have in front of you," and walked members through the materials staff has prepared for budget reconciliation.

Burns said the packet includes background materials, a changes-only web report (being finalized), and a forthcoming red-and-green side-by-side showing House and Senate language. She flagged a specific discrepancy in one-time appropriations: "After the house passed the budget, H 955 passed the house, and included in that was 75,000 for a study to be done by the Joint Fiscal Office on pre k," which Burns said was not in the Senate's materials and therefore is new to the committee.

Members discussed how that $75,000 affects the bottom line for one-time spending but noted it "doesn't change your construct" from the Senate perspective because the Senate already has a $1,500,000 set-aside in the same bill; the committee will decide whether the study remains and how it fits into the overall package. Burns said staff will continue finalizing the web report and red/green documents and will circulate electronic copies when ready and provide hard copies on request.

The review also covered the general fund operating statement, cash fund overviews, and provider rate increases (staff said provider rates showed no differences between House and Senate versions). The group spent the closing portion of the meeting coordinating schedules for follow-up sessions next week to reconcile outstanding amendments and to complete the conference report; no motions or formal votes were recorded at this session.

The committee asked staff to add missing materials to members' binders when available and to prepare the comparative red/green language for review; staff confirmed some items remain in progress and will arrive either later the day of the meeting or early next week.