The House Appropriations Committee Chair has released his 2020 supplemental operating budget proposal. It would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $1.172 billion. Of that, $1.029 billion is new policy changes and $144 million is maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services).

The proposal would transfer $19.3 million from the general fund to the disaster response account. It assumes passage of revenue legislation that would reduce revenues by $50.3 million in 2019–21 and $71.0 million in 2021–23.

The proposal would leave unrestricted ending balances of $627 million in 2019–21 and $59 million in 2021–23. It would not make appropriations from the rainy day fund.

Some spending items:

• $234 million for housing and homelessness, including an appropriation of $75 million to the new permanent supportive housing assistance account (for use over five years)
• $50.9 million for counselors in high poverty schools
• $68.4 million for pupil transportation
• It would transfer $42.3 million to the workforce education investment account (WEIA)
• $46 million for state hospital operations
• $57.7 million to increase Working Connections Child Care rates

As I noted earlier, enacted 2019–21 appropriations are already historically high. If the House Chair’s proposal is adopted, NGFO+WEIA 2019–21 appropriations would be 20.5 percent higher than in 2017–19.

Below is an initial balance sheet side-by-side comparison to the Senate Chair’s proposal (in terms of the NGFO).