Appropriations Committee – Week 10, 2020

March 17, 2020 Senate Staff Appropriations Committee, Blog, Votes 0

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 2408 – Supplemental and Continuing Appropriations: COVID-19

SF 2408 provides supplemental appropriations, continuing appropriations and addresses other matters related to a 30-day shutdown of the Legislature amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

Division I provides for supplemental appropriations from the FY20 General Fund to the Department of Human Services for:

  • Medicaid = $89 million
  • HAWK-I = $1.7 million
  • Glenwood = $596,000. This appropriation is an addition the $333,0000 supplemental appropriation made earlier this year. The additional money will be used to hire 26 residential treatment workers via contract.

The bill makes a supplemental appropriation of $525,000 from the FY20 General Fund to State Board of Regents for testing for COVID-19 at the State Hygienic Lab (U of I).

Division II provides these limitations on K-12 standing appropriations for FY21:

  • $8.2 million for non-public school transportation
  • $0 for Instructional Support State Aid
  • An additional cut of $15 million to AEAs.

Division III provides continuing appropriations of FY20 line items for two months following the beginning of FY21 (July and August). This funding will be considered allotments toward full appropriations when the Legislature passes the FY21 budget and it is singed by the Governor. Exclusions to the two-month appropriations include RIIF appropriations, one-time FY20 appropriations and $227,000 to the Department of Cultural Affairs for records center rent (in the Economic Development budget).

Division IV notwithstands certain limitations on intra- and inter-departmental transfers for the remainder of FY20 and for the first two months of FY21. This will give the Governor flexibility to transfer and move moneys from different funds in response to the COVID-19 pandemic without approval of the Legislature.

Division V provides for an appropriation of up to 10% of the projected balance of the Economic Emergency Fund ($19.6 million) to the Department of Management. If the amount appropriated is insufficient to meet needs, upon approval of the Legislative Council, appropriations will be made up to the remaining balance in the Fund. The current balance for FY20 is $196 million. 

Division VI waives instructional time requirements and minimum school day requirements for school districts or accredited non-public schools that closed on or before April 12, 2020, to contain the spread of COVID-19. In addition, the bill allows the Governor to waive the requirements for schools that have closed or do close after April 12, 2020. This section is repealed July 1, 2020.

[Using Rule 19, the Senate bypassed the Appropriations Committee and moved the legislation as a Committee of the Whole on a voice vote before final passage by the Senate.]
[3/16: 43-0 (Excused: Bisignano, Breitbach, Edler, Hogg, Segebart, J. Smith, T. Taylor)]