State Budget
The State Budget Process
The state budget is the most important bill that passes through the state legislature each year. A multi-billion-dollar plan, the budget funds all state services and programs, including those that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism.
The state operates on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal year schedule. The budget for each fiscal year takes months to finalize, as it works through the Governor’s office and both branches of the legislature. Here are the key steps:
Detailed State Budget Process
- Each January, the Governor releases her version of the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1. Each agency and department within the Governor’s administration submits a budget, which gets incorporated into the budget that the Governor prepares.
- The House of Representatives reviews the budget next. The House Ways & Means Committee proposes its own version of the budget, and individual Representatives file amendments to that version of the budget to change funding amounts, add in new projects, or include policy language. The full House then debates those amendments and finalizes the House version of the budget.
- The Senate then repeats a similar process, working from a Senate Ways & Means Committee proposal, debating amendments, and completing the Senate budget.
- This produces two versions—House and Senate—of the budget. Negotiators from both branches form a Conference Committee which works together to agree on a final version, taking provisions from each budget, and send it to the Governor for her signature.
- The version that the Governor signs is the final budget for that fiscal year, which is a law known as the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
The Arc actively works during each step in the budget process to analyze proposals, provide feedback on relevant sections, and file amendments as needed.
Your advocacy is needed throughout this process. Connect with us to be part of our advocacy.
Track the Current Budget Status
Dates will be added to phases of the budget as they take place. The star marks the current phase.
1. Governor’s H1 Budget (January)
Released January 22, 2025
2. House Ways & Means Budget (April)
3. House Debate (April)
4. House Budget (April)
5. Senate Ways & Means Budget (May)
6. Senate Debate (May)
7. Senate Budget (May)
8. Conference Committee (June)
9. Signed GAA Budget (July)
FY26 Budget Highlights Related to The Arc Community
Links will be added to each section as they are made available. Stay tuned.
Governor’s Budget (House One)
- Key Line Items for IDD and Autism Community
- The Arc’s Initial Response
- The Arc’s Analysis
- The Arc’s Budget Asks
House Budget Process
- House Ways & Means Budget
- The Arc’s Analysis
- House Amendment Priorities
- House Final Budget
Senate Budget Process
- Senate Ways & Means Budget
- The Arc’s Analysis
- Senate Amendment Priorities
- Senate Final Budget
Conference Committee Budget Process
- The Arc’s Analysis
- Conference Committee Priorities
Signed FY26 Budget
- The Arc’s Analysis
