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Joint Budget Committee

Wednesday, January 28, 2026·4h 3m·▶ Watch / Listen

Key Actions

·DOC S1 – Prison Caseload Bed ExpansionPassed

+ 14 more actions

Controversies

HCPF S6.09 – Executive authority to impose prior authorization requirements prohibited by state law

JBC staff Emily Pope maintained the department was directing RAEs to implement outpatient psychotherapy PARs prohibited by statute, citing OLS findings that limiting appropriations 'does not give them the authority to start doing something they are prohibited from doing,' and that directing a non-state agency to violate state law is 'even more problematic.' Representative Brown stated this was 'incredibly appropriate and also incredibly troubling.' The committee denied the request unanimously.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“I struggle with this vote because of what we have seen and been reassured of for years from the administration on this question. And I have gone back to my colleagues every time I vote yes on capacity questions. And I tell them that the department, the administration and their team has assured me that they are working diligently with other members of my caucus on ways to let folks out who are not a danger to society. And every year we come back and we have this same conversation again with no significant increase in the number of folks that are returning to society despite the efforts of members of my caucus.”

Vice Chair Jeff Bridges — Bridges explained his reluctant yes vote on the DOC S1 prison caseload bed expansion, reflecting years of frustration with administration commitments on releasing non-dangerous inmates that he said have not materialized.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

DOC S1 Prison Caseload – staff recommendationPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
HCPF S6.12 Community Connector 15% Rate Reduction – staff recommendationPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (1)Representative Rick Taggart
HCPF S6.33 Community Connector 23% Rate Reduction – staff recommendationPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (2)Vice Chair Jeff Bridges, Representative Rick Taggart
Reject Department Request S6.31 Caregiver Hours Soft CapPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (2)Vice Chair Jeff Bridges, Sirota
Deny staff request S6.32 Homemaker Hours Soft CapPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (2)Sirota, Vice Chair Jeff Bridges
Reject Department Request S13 Disability DeterminationsPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (2)Vice Chair Jeff Bridges, Sirota
Staff recommendation S6.23 and S7J (rates above 85%)Passed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (2)Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, Representative Rick Taggart
Staff recommendation S8 Federal HR1 Compliance – current fiscal year supplemental onlyPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (1)Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer
HCPF S6.15 PBT Rate Reduction – staff recommendationPassed
Yes (1)not individually Same
No (1)Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer
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TranscriptPreview
The joint budget committee will come to order. We have hicpuff supplementals to try and finish today. But before we get to that, we're going to consider the comeback requests that we have left undone, starting with the judicial department. Any indication from committee members about what you would like to do on this comeback? It Vice Chair Bridges. Thank you, Madam Chair. It. I think we can do it. And for the furniture, maybe they can borrow some from the legislature. Too soon? Too soon. Not for me, thanks to the handful of chuckles in the audience. Is that what the staff recommendation? The speaker's not listening right now. It's okay. Yeah. I think the it portion of this, but not the, like chairs and whatnot. Ms. Bickle, is that clear? Absolutely. I had just given you something with, like, if you want to do the thing as I'd recommended it, you know, I will say you could do it with. Run a bill. You could do a footnote. You could also. You could also reduce their HLD line item. You know, I guess I've been thinking of this as a supplemental, but it's. And thinking about 26, 27…
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