Budget Chair Aims For Efficiency With Shortened Schedule | WABE 90.1 FM

A joint session of state House and Senate members will hold budget hearings for just a five-hour period this year, rather than the traditional three days.

House Appropriations Chairman Terry England says it will make for a more efficient budget process.

“We heard from a lot of members that they felt like in many ways spending three days in those joint hearings was somewhat a waste of their time because it wasn’t very productive. We didn’t actually get down in the weeds to start working,” said England.

During the joint hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, the governor will present his 2015 budget plan, followed by presentations from a handful of agency heads. (A full schedule can be found below).

The next day, House appropriations committee members will break off into area-specific subcommittees and begin reviewing budget items in greater detail.

England says fewer days for the joint hearings will mean more face time between subcommittee members and agency heads.

“The problem was you didn’t have the time to interact and really bore down and what we tried to do is give the opportunity for more time to bore down into the agencies and what they’re requesting.”

House and Senate leaders want a speedy legislative session due to the election year and what’s expected to be an early primary season.

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