| Members Present: Sen. Heidi Balderree, Senate Chair Rep. Raymond P. Ward, House Chair Rep. Stephanie Gricius, House Vice Chair Sen. Luz Escamilla Sen. John D. Johnson Sen. Michael S. Kennedy Sen. Todd D. Weiler Rep. Melissa G. Ballard Rep. Kera Birkeland Rep. James Cobb Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost Rep. Ken Ivory | Rep. Marsha Judkins Rep. Trevor Lee Rep. Rosemary T. Lesser Members Absent: President J. Stuart Adams Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher Rep. Anthony E. Loubet Staff Present: Sean C. Faherty, Finance Officer Russell T. Frandsen, Finance Officer Josh Pittman, Financial Analyst An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary |
||
|
Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
|
| 1.Call to Order |
| Chair Balderree called the meeting to order at 8:23 a.m. |
| 2.Approval of Minutes |
| There were no minutes for approval. |
| 3.Public Comment |
| Allan Tribe, citizen, spoke in support of funding for DSPD, noting that his daughter has been on the waiting list for nine years. |
| Rep. Ward asked Allan Tribe if he knows where his daughter is on the waiting list, and Allan Tribe responded. |
| Dave Parke, Home Instead, spoke in support of funding for HCBS Aging Waiver and New Choices Waiver Rate Increases. |
| Hillary Clark, citizen, spoke in support of funding for the DPSD Waitlist, stating that her son has been on the waitlist for five years. |
| Chris Dobson, Synergy Homecare and representing the Home Health Association of Utah, spoke in support of funding for the HCBS Waiver Rate Increase. |
| Rep. Ward asked if all of Chris Dobson's clients receive DSPD funding, and Chris Dobson responded. |
| Matt Hansen, Executive Director, Homecare and Hospice Association of Utah, spoke in support of funding for HCBS Aging Waiver and New Choices Waiver Rate Increases. |
| Matt Hansen spoke in support of funding for State Public Health Emergency Preparedness. |
| Gina Cornia, Executive Director, Utahns Against Hunger, spoke in support of funding for Meals on Wheels. |
| Francis Gibson, President, Utah Hospital Association, spoke against cutting disproportionate share hospital funding. |
| Allison Spangler, President and CEO, Utah Healthcare Association, expressed concern with proposed increases in the cost of health facility licensing. |
| Rep. Ward asked what the fee increase will be, and Allison Spangler responded. |
| Mariah Hurst, Executive Director, Youth Providers Association, spoke in support of funding the DHS Budget request and Medicaid parity. |
| 4.Alternative Funding Option - Health Facility Licensing Staff |
| Carmen Richins, Director, Division of Licensing and Background Checks, discussed alternative funding options for licensing health facility staff. |
| 5.Services for People with Disabilities - Funding Allocation Discussion |
| Angie Pinna, Director, Division of Services for People with Disabilities, answered a question from Rep. Ward regarding the amount it costs to remove individuals from the wait list and provide them with services. |
| Rep. Judkins asked how much it would cost to fully fund the waiting list, and Angie Pinna responded. |
| 6.Orientation to Request for Appropriation |
| Josh Pittman explained Requested Funding Allocations. |
| 7.Request for Appropriation - Sen. Sandall - Habitat for Humanity |
| Shelley Barris, Director, Habitat for Humanity in Summit and Wasatch Counties, spoke of the need to fund Habitat for Humanity. |
| Ed Blake, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, presented the funding request for Habitat for Humanity. |
| Sen. Scott Sandler made the request for funding Habitat for Humanity. |
| Rep. Gricius asked about Habitat for Humanity homes in Kearns, and Ed Blake responded. |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost requested additional information on revolving funds for Habitat for Humanity, and Ed Blake responded. |
| 8.Staff Discusses Possible Alternative Funding for RFAs |
| Josh Pittman discussed alternative funding items. |
| 9.Request for Appropriation - Rep. Hawkins - Utah Autism Community Center - |
| Rep. Jon Hawkins introduced Tricia Nelson, Executive Director, Utah Autism Academy, who presented the request for one-time funding for an Autism Community Center in Orem. |
| Rep. Ballard complimented Tricia Nelson on her work, both with her own son and other individuals with autism. |
| Sen. Johnson echoed Rep. Ballard's comments and complimented Tricia Nelson for her initiative in solving problems. |
| Chair Ward asked how Utah Autism Academy obtains daily funding, and Tricia Nelson responded. |
| 10.Request for Appropriation - Rep. Wheatley - Funding Alcohol/Drug Addiction |
| Rep. Wheatley introduced Steve Madsen, Board Chairman and President, Alano Club of Salt Lake City, who made the funding request for Alcohol/Drug Addiction Community Center. |
| 11.Request for Appropriation - Rep. Lesser - Nonprofit Connection Collaborative |
| Rep. Lesser introduced Abby Monroe, United Way of Northern Utah, who made the request for funding the Nonprofit Connection Collaborative Campus. |
| Margaret Rose, Director, YCC Family Crisis Center, was invited to speak about the need for the Nonprofit Campus. |
| 12.FY 2024 and FY 2025 Budget Reductions Discussion and Voting |
| Russell Frandsen discussed budget reduction options. |
| Rep. Lesser and Sen. Weiler requested information on item 12, and Russell Frandsen responded. |
| MOTION:Rep. Gricius moved to accept item #12 on the reduction list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KwUtl1BX9my60jFfHV66LG2OoCRG3rBUqv2G4ObSDOw/edit#gid=957203707The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-5. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 5 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Rep. M. Ballard Rep. J. Cobb Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Rep. K. Ivory Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. Judkins Sen. M. Kennedy Rep. T. Lee Rep. R. Lesser Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. J. Adams Rep. K. Birkeland Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. A. Loubet Sen. D. Thatcher |
| Rep. Judkins asked if an item previously cut can be reconsidered, and Russell Frandsen responded. |
| Josh Pittman and Russell Frandsen explained item 14. |
| Nate Checketts, Deputy Director, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), answered Rep. Judkins question. |
| MOTION:Rep. Ward moved to remove item 15 from the cut list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KwUtl1BX9my60jFfHV66LG2OoCRG3rBUqv2G4ObSDOw/edit#gid=957203707 |
| Sen. Weiler asked staff about cutting item 15, and Russell Frandsen and Nate Checketts responded. |
| Sen. Escamilla suggested the committee use caution before suggesting cuts without full knowledge, and Nate Checketts and Russell Frandsen responded. |
| Rep. Gricius asked if intent language could be added to appropriations, and Nate Checketts responded. |
| Rep. Ward's motion passed with a vote 8-4-6. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 4 | Abs- 6 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. J. Cobb Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. M. Judkins Sen. M. Kennedy Rep. R. Lesser Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. H. Balderree Rep. S. Gricius Rep. K. Ivory Sen. J. Johnson | Sen. J. Adams Rep. K. Birkeland Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. T. Lee Rep. A. Loubet Sen. D. Thatcher |
| MOTION:Rep. Ward moved to accept the budget reduction options as amended by this subcommittee as the final recommendations to be presented to the Executive Appropriations Committee.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-6. | |||
| Yeas - 12 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 6 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Rep. M. Ballard Rep. J. Cobb Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Rep. K. Ivory Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. Judkins Sen. M. Kennedy Rep. R. Lesser Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler | Sen. J. Adams Rep. K. Birkeland Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Rep. T. Lee Rep. A. Loubet Sen. D. Thatcher |
| 13.Other Motions for Department of Workforce Services |
| Josh Pittman said there were no other motions to consider. |
| 14.Request for Appropriation - Rep. Walter - NewGen: Youth Homelessness Solutions |
| Rep. Walter and Melissa Freigang, Director, Youth Futures Utah, presented the funding request. |
| Rep. Lesser reminded the committee that youth homelessness has increased more than any other age group. |
| 15.Other Business |
| Russell Frandsen gave an update on the funds available due to committee actions. |
| MOTION:Rep. Gricius moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-9. | |||
| Yeas - 9 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 9 | |
| Sen. H. Balderree Rep. M. Ballard Rep. J. Cobb Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Gricius Rep. K. Ivory Rep. M. Judkins Sen. M. Kennedy Rep. R. Lesser | Sen. J. Adams Rep. K. Birkeland Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Sen. J. Johnson Rep. T. Lee Rep. A. Loubet Sen. D. Thatcher Rep. R. Ward Sen. T. Weiler |
| Chair Balderree adjourned the meeting at 10:16 a.m. |