04/10/2015 04:00 PM Joint CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB72 AND HB73

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 72(FIN)                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain programs and  capitalizing funds; and providing                                                                    
     for an effective date."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 72(FIN) am S                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     loan  program  expenses  of state  government  and  for                                                                    
     certain  programs  and   capitalizing  funds;  amending                                                                    
     appropriations; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
and                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 73(FIN)                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     capital    expenses   of    the   state's    integrated                                                                    
     comprehensive mental health  program; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 73(FIN)                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act making  appropriations for  the operating  and                                                                    
     capital    expenses   of    the   state's    integrated                                                                    
     comprehensive mental health  program; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:11:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kelly MOVED that Representative  Neuman serve as the                                                                    
presiding chair of  the FY 16 Conference Committee  on HB 72                                                                    
and HB 73. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Chair Neuman  MOVED that Senator  Kelly serve  as Vice-Chair                                                                    
of the FY 16 Conference Committee  on HB 72 and HB 73. There                                                                    
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair   Neuman  reviewed   procedures   pertaining  to   the                                                                    
conference  committee.  He noted  that  both  the House  and                                                                    
Senate  budget process  allowed for  public testimony.  That                                                                    
portion  of  the  process   was  concluded;  the  conference                                                                    
committee would not accept  further public testimony. Unless                                                                    
invited  by  the  Chair,  only  members  of  the  conference                                                                    
committee  would take  part  in discussions  or  sit at  the                                                                    
table.  He  noted  that  the  director  of  the  Legislative                                                                    
Finance  Division  would be  invited  to  sit at  the  table                                                                    
beginning with the next meeting.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Chair Neuman observed that  the Legislative Finance Division                                                                    
had been directed to prepare  the "motion sheets" for use by                                                                    
the conference  committee. The motion sheets  summarized the                                                                    
differences  between the  two versions  of the  bills before                                                                    
the   conference  committee   and   were   located  on   the                                                                    
Legislative Finance Division's website.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Chair Neuman  explained that the conference  committee would                                                                    
operate  under  Uniform  Rule  42.  All  action  required  a                                                                    
majority  vote  from  each  body for  adoption.  A  copy  of                                                                    
Uniform Rule 42 and related  legal opinions were provided in                                                                    
each member's  packet. Motions required  a majority  of each                                                                    
body.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Kelly MOVED that  all appropriations and language                                                                    
in the FY  16 operating budget that were  identical in House                                                                    
and Senate  versions of HB  72 and  HB 73 be  adopted. There                                                                    
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Chair Neuman observed that the  committee would need limited                                                                    
powers to reach agreements.  He explained that under limited                                                                    
powers  the  Conference  Committee could  adopt  any  amount                                                                    
between zero and  the higher of the House  or Senate version                                                                    
of each item subject to conference.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Kelly MOVED to ADOPT  a letter requesting limited                                                                    
powers  of  free conference  for  the  items that  were  not                                                                    
identical. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Chair Neuman  observed that the committee  meetings would be                                                                    
posted  on BASIS  under  the 24-hour  rule.  He relayed  the                                                                    
expectation that  the committee  would meet  every afternoon                                                                    
at 4:00 p.m. until a consensus was established.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HB  72  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HB  73  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.