Appropriations committee approves dozens of technical line items from governor’s supplemental change package

The Appropriations Committee of the Maine Legislature met May 14 to consider line items from the governor’s supplemental "change package" to the state’s supplemental budget. Under the committee chair, Senator Peggy Rotundo, members moved through dozens of technical personnel reclassifications and funding adjustments across state agencies and accounts.

Representative Drew Gatine opened the formal motions on behalf of the committee, saying he would "move them in as proposed in the change package" and repeatedly moved items for approval. Many items were procedural reclassifications — for example, position upgrades in agriculture and forestry divisions and reclassifications in the Department of Marine Resources and the state library — while others adjusted fund allocations to match projected expenditures and available resources. Senator Sub Bernard and other members seconded motions during the session.

The committee approved a large group of A‑series items as presented, including line items covering the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Department of Education (general purpose aid for local schools); Department of Environmental Protection; Department of Health and Human Services (several Office for Family Independence reclassifications); Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Department of Public Safety; and adjustments to municipal revenue sharing and scholarship funds. The committee did not take up item A38 during this meeting.

On the B‑series pages, the committee approved B1 (a Department of Environmental Protection reclassification retroactive to June 2025) after staff produced an item description. Committee members raised questions about the B2 entries, noting missing detail and dollar‑amount mismatches in the materials. The committee agreed to hold the B2 items and said staff would return with answers at the next session.

There was limited debate on policy grounds; most actions were characterized as administrative or alignment measures intended to reflect reclassifications, retroactive rate adjustments, or to reconcile budget lines with current expenditure forecasts. When members asked for additional information on particular entries, staff indicated supplemental documentation would be provided later in the process.

The committee recessed with plans to continue work on the supplemental budget the following afternoon. Chair Rotundo closed the session by thanking members for their attendance.

Votes at a glance: the committee moved and approved the A‑series items presented today (A1–A37 as taken up), and approved B1; items listed on page B2 were held for follow‑up. The actions taken at this meeting were recorded as motions carried by unanimous voice vote.