03/07/2022 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 177                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to an increase of an appropriation                                                                        
     due to additional federal or other program receipts;                                                                       
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:45:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick indicated no  amendments had been submitted                                                                    
for HB 177.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Josephson  was  disinclined to  support  the                                                                    
bill.   He  explained   that  the   bill  could   be  viewed                                                                    
differently depending  on whether the governor  was liked or                                                                    
not. He  felt that  the bill swung  the pendulum,  and would                                                                    
result in the pendulum being swung the other direction.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS  TUCK, SPONSOR, appreciated  the topic.                                                                    
He  reported  that  until  Medicaid  expansion,  there  were                                                                    
underfunded RPLs. He  stated that the intention  of the bill                                                                    
was to strike  a balance in dealing  with Legislative Budget                                                                    
and Audit. He  remarked that the governor  could withdraw an                                                                    
RPL if  it was not approved  by the committee. He  felt that                                                                    
the   legislature   was  taken  advantage  of    during  the                                                                    
pandemic, because the money needed quick appropriation.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:49:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  indicated Representative  Rasmussen joined                                                                    
the meeting via teleconference.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked Representative  Tuck to expand on the                                                                    
change of RPLs if the bill were to pass.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tuck responded that  currently it was a take-                                                                    
it or leave-it situation within  45 days, therefore it would                                                                    
provide the legislature time to  reconvene or negotiate with                                                                    
the governor in  a more amenable way. t would  also break up                                                                    
the RPLs in smaller chunks to strike a balance.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Ortiz asked about how  the bill changes the power                                                                    
of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tuck  responded,  "Not   a  whole  lot."  He                                                                    
expanded  that it  slowed the  process down  for the  larger                                                                    
funding increments.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Josephson noted  that the legislature's power                                                                    
of appropriation must be universal  in the country. He asked                                                                    
how other legislatures handle similar situations.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tuck  did not know,  as he had  not discussed                                                                    
it with other states.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick invited Mr. Painter to comment.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ALEXEI  PAINTER,  DIRECTOR,  LEGISLATIVE  FINANCE  DIVISION,                                                                    
relayed  that  some  states  did   not  require  a  separate                                                                    
appropriation. Other states, in  dealing with federal funds,                                                                    
had to meet certain requirements.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:55:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Edgmon   commended  the  bill   sponsor.  He                                                                    
thought   it  was   necessary.  He   shared  concerns   with                                                                    
Representative  Josephson about  the  pendulum swinging  too                                                                    
far.  He would  likely support  the bill.  He had  been very                                                                    
much involved with  the appropriations in 202  which he felt                                                                    
had been very one-sided.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tuck indicated  RPL  was simply  a code.  He                                                                    
thought it should be called Revised Program Receipts.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Edgmon did not like the term RPL.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:58:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster  MOVED  to  report  CSHB  177(STA)  out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson OBJECTED.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Ortiz,  Wool, Edgmon,  Josephson, LeBon,  Merrick,                                                                    
Foster                                                                                                                          
OPPOSED: Johnson                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION PASSED (7/1).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CSHB 177(STA)  was REPORTED out  of committee with  four "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations  and  with four  "no  recommendation"                                                                    
recommendations and  with one  new zero  impact note  by the                                                                    
Office of the Governor.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:00:34 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:04:49 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED