Members of the Senate Finance Committee voted out last night a series of revenue bills favorably as substituted:
- SB 1579 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to general government.
- SB 1580 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to health and human services and state agencies administering health and human services programs.
- SB 1581 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to public and higher education.
- SB 1582 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to the judiciary.
- SB 1583 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to law enforcement and criminal justice.
- SB 1584 By Ogden- Relating to state fiscal matters related to natural resources and the environment.
- SB 1811 By Duncan- Relating to state fiscal matters (details published in the April 19 HillCo Client News Flash).
As Senate Finance concluded for the evening, Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden told the committee “I owed it to everyone to put all the cards up on the table,” Ogden said. “The last card up is $3 billion from the rainy day fund.” Ogden noted he may propose a contingency rider to SB 1 that would allow $3 billion to be withdrawn from the Rainy Day Fund based on a Comptroller finding of no additional revenue becoming available.
If the Senate approves that proposal in addition to the $3 billion Ogden proposed on Wednesday, the chair said he expected the Rainy Day Fund would maintain a balance between $5 billion and $6 billion in 2013.
The committee is scheduled to meet this morning, Thursday, at 9 a.m. to consider the appropriations bill, the supplemental bill to close out the final months of the current biennium, SJR 5, and Ogden’s rainy day proposal.