MISC-20260511-1600

Good afternoon. I call this meeting of the Conference Committee Committee on the Operating and Mental Health Appropriation Bills, House Bills 263 and 265 respectively, to order. It is 4:01 PM on May 11, 2026. Members present from the Senate side are Senator Lyman Hoffman, Senator Bert Steadman, and Senator Mike Cronk. From the House side, I see Representative Calvin Schragge, Representative Will Stapp, and myself, Representative Andy Josephson.

First, I move that Senator Hoffman serve as presiding chair of the FY27 Operating Budget Conference Committee on both 263, House Bill 263, and House Bill 265. Is there an objection to that? Seeing no objection, Senator Hoffman will serve as the presiding chair.

Sir, take it at ease. At ease.

—On the two bills that were mentioned earlier. To order, as chair of the conference committee, I would like to review the process we will follow for these meetings. First, both House and Senate budget processes follow—followed for public testimony. That portion of the process is now concluded. The conference committee will not be accepting public testimony.

Unless invited by the chair, only members of the conference committee may take part in the discussion or sit at this table.

Third, the legislative finance has been directed to prepare the motion sheets we will be using at the table. These sheets summarize the differences between the two versions of the bill, the bills that are the business of this conference Conference Committee. The motion sheets— it's in Spanish. The motion sheets be posted by Legislative Finance Division website and will be updated after each meeting. The Conference Committee will operate under Uniform Rule 42.

Adopting any motion or taking act— taking any action requires a majority vote of each body. A copy of Uniform Rule 42 and related legal opinions are in each member's packet.

Brief it is. Brief it is.

Thank you, Representative Schrag. I move that Representative Josephson serve as vice chair of the FY26 Operating Budget Conference Committee on HB 263 and HB 264. Is there objection? Senator Hoffman, did you mean fiscal year '27? '27?

Yes. Thank you. Is there objection?

No wonder you did not pass. So that is accomplished.

Now we will go to the adoption of identical items. At this point I would like to obtain a motion to adopt all identical items. Representative Josephson. Chair Hoffman, I move that all appropriations and language that are identical in both the House and Senate versions of House Bill 263 and House Bill 265 be adopted. Is there objection?

Seeing no objection, those identical items are adopted. I would entertain a motion to request limited powers for budget items, uh, for which differences exist. I have distributed two identical letters for this purpose dated May 11th, 2026. Uh, one addresses to One is addressed to the Speaker of the House and one is addressed to the Senate President. Under limited powers, the Conference Committee may adopt any amount between zero and the high number of either the House or the Senate version of each item subject to the conference.

Chair Hoffman, I move that the committee adopt the letters requesting Conference Committee powers as stated. Is there objection? Seeing no objection, that motion is adopted. We'll take a brief at ease while members sign the letter requesting these powers. We're at ease.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Call the conference committee back to order. The committee will meet to take action on the operating budget bills once the powers have been received. Meetings will be posted on basis to provide for reasonable public notice under the 24-hour rule. Is there any other business to come before the conference committee at this time? Chair Huffman, I move that we adjourn this meeting of the conference committee.

Is there objection? Is there objection? Objection. We are adjourned.