House Finance Committee passes budget bill
The House Finance Committee today passed HB2200 House Draft 1, the State budget bill, that proposes funding levels for all state programs and departments in the Executive branch.
The Legislature is in the supplemental, or second, budget year of the biennium for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. The total general fund budget for fiscal year 2011, as outlined in this bill, is $4.8 billion.
Key points of the bill include the following budget reductions and restorations, as measured against the Governor's budget submittal to the Legislature in December 2009.
Key budget reductions
Purchase of service contracts:
o Department of Education - $45,441,773
o Department of Human Services - $18,521,400
o Department of Health - $30,904,188
Increasing DOE class size by one (1) - $18,462,479
Reducing 40 positions from the DOE administration - $2.6 million
Reducing DOE Instructional Support - $7 million
Reducing from University of Hawaii - $10 million
Key budget restorations
$50 million to the DOE to use exclusively for putting children back in the classroom
10 positions and funds for the Office of Veterans Services
$3 million restored for state libraries
Restored critical positions in:
o Plant Quarantine inspection
o Child Protective Services
o Adult Protective Services
o Public Welfare Eligibility Workers
o Security Officers at Hawaii State Hospital
o Commission on Water Resource Management
Reduction in Force (RIF) - 819 positions restored at $11,990,624
Vacancies 235 positions restored at $4,223,461
"Based on our limited resources, this is a budget that tries to do the right thing for the people of Hawaii," said Rep. Marcus Oshiro, chair of the House Finance Committee. "This budget makes the hard choices that others have not. It does not sugar coat the problems we face. It prioritizes our children. It prioritizes our safety net. It prioritizes health -- people's health as well as environmental health. It prioritizes public safety and food safety. And it prioritizes human services and education."
Oshiro indicated that HB2200 HD1 differs from the Governor's proposed budget by restoring 1,012 positions and reducing expenditures by $60,788,730. He stated that the only reason the Governor's budget was balanced was by delaying tax refunds into the next fiscal year, delaying payments for various services, not paying Medicaid bills on time, and, that, essentially, the Governor's budget plan has about $495 million in unpaid bills.
HB2200 HD1 goes to the House floor for a vote by the entire body, and if passed, will cross over to the Senate.
The Legislature is in the supplemental, or second, budget year of the biennium for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. The total general fund budget for fiscal year 2011, as outlined in this bill, is $4.8 billion.
Key points of the bill include the following budget reductions and restorations, as measured against the Governor's budget submittal to the Legislature in December 2009.
Key budget reductions
Purchase of service contracts:
o Department of Education - $45,441,773
o Department of Human Services - $18,521,400
o Department of Health - $30,904,188
Increasing DOE class size by one (1) - $18,462,479
Reducing 40 positions from the DOE administration - $2.6 million
Reducing DOE Instructional Support - $7 million
Reducing from University of Hawaii - $10 million
Key budget restorations
$50 million to the DOE to use exclusively for putting children back in the classroom
10 positions and funds for the Office of Veterans Services
$3 million restored for state libraries
Restored critical positions in:
o Plant Quarantine inspection
o Child Protective Services
o Adult Protective Services
o Public Welfare Eligibility Workers
o Security Officers at Hawaii State Hospital
o Commission on Water Resource Management
Reduction in Force (RIF) - 819 positions restored at $11,990,624
Vacancies 235 positions restored at $4,223,461
"Based on our limited resources, this is a budget that tries to do the right thing for the people of Hawaii," said Rep. Marcus Oshiro, chair of the House Finance Committee. "This budget makes the hard choices that others have not. It does not sugar coat the problems we face. It prioritizes our children. It prioritizes our safety net. It prioritizes health -- people's health as well as environmental health. It prioritizes public safety and food safety. And it prioritizes human services and education."
Oshiro indicated that HB2200 HD1 differs from the Governor's proposed budget by restoring 1,012 positions and reducing expenditures by $60,788,730. He stated that the only reason the Governor's budget was balanced was by delaying tax refunds into the next fiscal year, delaying payments for various services, not paying Medicaid bills on time, and, that, essentially, the Governor's budget plan has about $495 million in unpaid bills.
HB2200 HD1 goes to the House floor for a vote by the entire body, and if passed, will cross over to the Senate.