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The Legislature has approved a measure designed to give lawmakers more say over how federal money, such as the COVID-19 relief money, is spent.
Under current law, the state’s Emergency Commission – consisting of the Governor, the Secretary of State, the majority leaders of both the House and Senate, and each chamber’s Appropriations Committee chairs – would decide how the money is spent. That recommendation goes to the Legislature’s Budget Section, which can only accept or reject the Commission’s recommendations without change.
The new measure would limit that procedure, so in amounts of to $50 million, the procedure remains the same, but it gives the Budget Section authority to amend. If it’s over $50 million, the full Legislature would have to approve it, in a regular or a special session.