Budget bills signal beginning of legislative session's end

The first of five major bills that signal the end of the Legislature arrived in the Assembly today.

The Appropriations Act was introduced as AB562 and referred to the Ways and Means Committee. It spells out how most of Nevada's General Fund money will be spent over the next two fiscal years.

The other four major pieces of legislation that will come to the Senate and Assembly by the end of tomorrow are the Authorizations Act, the education bill, employee pay bill and the Capital Improvement Projects bill.

Appropriations must be introduced first because it cannot be acted on for at least 24 hours after introduction. The reason for that rule is to provide for review not only by members of the money committees who developed the spending plan but other lawmakers who are not on Ways and Means or the Senate Finance Committee.

This year's Appropriations Act contains more tightly written "back language" designed to prevent any attempt by Gov. Jim Gibbons to reverse changes and additions lawmakers have made to his budget once the Legislature adjourns. Gibbons has served notice that, because the state-funded portion of the budget has been increased significantly by the Legislature, he will veto it because of the increased taxes required to fund it.

That language includes strengthening the requirement that the governor clear any decision to hold back spending budgeted amounts in the agencies with the Interim Finance Committee.

The Appropriations Act isn't the only place where General Fund expenditures are recorded. The education bill contains the Distributive School Account " the single largest budget account in the state. In addition, it contains the state share of special education funding.

The Authorizations Act totals more in total funding than Appropriations because it contains not federal money for entitlements such as welfare and Medicaid, highway fund money and all other sources of money the state spends in its budget. In addition, Authorizations contains the Gaming Control Board portion of General Fund expenditures.

The pay bill includes spending plans for both those in classified state positions as well as the unclassified service. While it spells out how most of those dollars are to be spent, the actual funding is contained in Appropriations and Authorizations line items.

Lawmakers plan to have those four pieces of legislation on the governor's desk Thursday or Friday so that, if and when he vetoes them, they have time to override the vetoes before the constitutional end of the regular 2009 Legislature at midnight June 1.

The fifth piece of the budget puzzle is the Capital Improvement Projects bill which is expected to be introduced Friday or Saturday. It lays out the state's proposed construction and maintenance projects for the coming two years.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.