Joint Budget Committee

January 26, 2023

 

Rep Jean: All right, members, we’ll call Joint Budget to order. First item on the agenda is the Peer Report. Senator Boyd, if you’ll light up, you’re recognized to give the report.

Sen Boyd: Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Peer subcommittee met on Wednesday, January 25. The subcommittee received reports, reviewed items, and approved requests for the following items; various temporary appropriations, American Rescue Plan Act appropriation, and restricted reserve fund transfers. Just of note, there are 5 items in the report that are noted as being held in subcommittee. I move for adoption of this report.

Rep Jean: Okay, I have a motion to adopt. A second? We have a second. Any discussion on this report? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Report is adopted. Next item we’re going to item C. This is an amendment to Senate Bill 75, Representative Lee Johnson. Members, if we have Special Language onto these, and I think 8 of them do, I’ll let Mr. Anderson do a brief overview of it and we’re going to send that stuff on to Special Language, I think there’s 3 that we can deal with in here today out of the 11. Representative Johnson, you are recognized to explain your amendment.

 

Rep Johnson: There we go. I wasn’t sure if I did that right. Members, this is just an appropriation bill that creates an appropriation for a funding mechanism for graduate medical education. So in 2019, we as a body passed legislation creating a GME funding board and grant system. That’s been sitting there for almost 4 years now. It does not currently have any funding mechanism. It will this session. We’ve worked with the Medical Board. They have a surplus in their budget and we’re going to work to put $500,000 from the Medical Board surplus into that fund.

This creates the appropriation that will allow that board to administer that funding. It is written as $400,000 to $10 million. I know that’s a big number. I don’t think we have any idea yet how or where any more funding might come from but there’s a lot of people interested in this topic and working to try to find some funding. And so this appropriation would set the framework if there is more funds available at some point where the Graduate Medical Education Board that we’ve already established would have the ability to disburse those funds through the grant-making mechanism that’s in place. I’d be happy to answer any questions.

Rep Jean: Any questions? Once again this is just an appropriation. He’s still got to find funding.

Rep Johnson: Yes, sir.

Rep Jean: All right, I have a motion do pass and a second. Any discussion on the amendment? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? The amendment has passed.

Rep Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Rep Jean: Representative Johnson, thank you. All right, members. Mr. Anderson?

Anderson (BLR):  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, we’re on item C 2, that’s on page 5. This is an amendment to House Bill 1077, Department of Labor and Licensing, to delete a Special Language section, Mr. Chairman.

Rep Jean: We’ll send this to Special Language.

Anderson (BLR): We’re on C 3, that’s on page 9. This is an amendment by Representative Fite to House Bill 1096, DFA Disbursing Officer. This adds a new appropriation for the Morgan Nick Foundation for $400,000 payable out of general revenue.

Rep Jean: Is Representative Fite here? If not, we’ll just pass over and hold this till the next meeting next Thursday. All right, Mr. Anderson.

Anderson (BLR): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Item C 4, that takes us to page 13. This is an amendment by Representative Cavenaugh to House Bill 1168, Department of Labor and Licensing Boards and Commissions. It has Special Language.

Rep Jean: Special Language.

Anderson (BLR): C 5 on page 19, this is an amendment to House Bill 54 by Representative Cavenaugh. It has Special Language.

Rep Jean: Special Language.

Anderson (BLR): Okay, Mr. Chairman, that takes us to page 23. This is item C 6. This is an amendment to Senate Bill 31, Department of Health, Labor, and Licensing by Representative Boyd. This is to change $100,000 from professional fees to operating expense. It is net neutral and is not general revenue.

Rep Jean: All right, Senator Boyd, when you get to the table recognize yourself and explain what you’re doing.

Sen Boyd: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Senator Justin Boyd. This is a very simple amendment to this appropriation. The Board of Pharmacy had appropriation that was intended for continuing pharmacy education and to support education of other medical professionals for things like the drug summit that it’s done. There’s a big issue with opioids in our state. And so the $100,000 was placed in one line item, but it’s my understanding DFA felt like that was not the place for that to go. So it just strikes the $100,000 from there and moves it to what they consider to be the right or the correct line item. So it’s not adding appropriation. It’s just moving it from one bucket to the other so that the money can be legally spent for what it was intended to be spent. I’m happy to answer any questions.

Rep Jean: Any questions? Once again, this is not GR. Senator Hickey?

Sen Hickey: Yes, just one. Senator Boyd, so whenever we go into budget hearings the next time, how do we make sure that that line item is not going to increase back to where it was? Is it going to be the intention to increase it back to where it was so that in the end that we do have an increase, or do you know?

Sen Boyd: It’s not my intention to do that. My intention is, I mean, as I’ve looked at this, I think it’s a good plan to spend money, invest money in education. With some of the issues coming, we’ve had other issues and changes, and it’s good to hear from your regulatory board to have education from them directly rather than finding out on the back end you were doing something the wrong way. So I think it’s a great way to do it.

So that’s really truly the intent is to make sure that they can legally spend money that’s there so they don’t just continue to grow the balance, but invest it back in pharmacy and other health care to make sure that things are being done the right way.

Sen Hickey: Yes, sir. And just my only thing is, I’m in support of what you’re trying to do, it’s just been kind of the experience down here that sometimes that if we move something from this line item, whenever it comes back in at our next budget hearings, well, we increase both of them. So somebody’s just got to be diligent to make sure that that doesn’t happen. So hopefully you will.

Sen Boyd: This is my commitment to you. If I see something go into that line item, you and I will have a personal conversation about it before it’s brought to you, okay?

Sen Hickey: Thank you, sir.

Rep Jean: Any other questions? Do we have a motion on the amendment? Got a motion to do pass. We’ve got a second. Any discussion on the amendment? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Amendment is adopted. Mr. Anderson.

Anderson (BLR): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are now on page 27. This is item C 7. This is an amendment to House Bill 1092, Department of Health. This is by Representative Cavenaugh. It has Special Language.

Rep Jean: Special Language.

Anderson (BLR) C 8 on page 33 by Representative Lee Johnson. iT’s an amendment to House Bill 31. This has Special Language.

Rep Jean: Special Language.

Anderson (BLR): On page 37, C 9. It’s an amendment to House Bill 31, Department of Health by Representative Johnson. It has Special Language.

Rep Jean: Send it to Special Language.

Anderson (BLR) Mr. Chairman, C 10 by Senator Wallace also deletes Special Language. Senate Bill 75, Division of Higher Education.

Rep Jean: Special Language.

Anderson (BLR): And we have a bill that was for this committee’s consideration but it has Special Language. It’s C 11, page 47. It is by Senator Irvin.

Rep Jean: And this will be a supplemental appropriation for this year, right?

Anderson (BLR): Yes, sir.

Rep Jean: We’ll send that to Special Language. All right, members, we don’t know if we’re going to have enough work to do Tuesday. Just kind of watch the call of the Chair. We anticipate probably a Special Language meeting Wednesday of next week. But anyway, if there’s nothing else before Joint Budget, we are adjourned. Thank you for your time.