Establishing continuing appropriations in fiscal years for which annual appropriations have not been enacted

This bill establishes continuing appropriations in fiscal years for which the general assembly does not enact annual appropriations. The bill applies to fiscal years for which one or more line item appropriations, standing limited appropriations, or standing unlimited appropriations otherwise limited by law (appropriations) for the immediately preceding fiscal year (prior year) have not been enacted in an identical provision for the fiscal year to which the bill applies (budget year) on or before July 1 of the budget year. If, on or after July 1 of the budget year, an appropriation for the prior year is enacted in an identical provision for the budget year, the bill ceases to apply for purposes of that appropriation. The amount of moneys already expended under the bill for the appropriation supplants a like amount under the appropriation enacted for the budget year. The bill specifies what constitutes an identical provision and what qualifies as enactment for purposes of the bill. For fiscal years to which the bill applies, the bill requires the department of management (DOM), in consultation with the legislative services agency (LSA), to identify the amounts of all appropriations for the prior year and the entities to which those appropriations were made. The bill appropriates those amounts to those entities for the budget year. The bill supplants duplicative standing appropriations, meaning the amounts for appropriations identified for the prior year apply in lieu of amounts estimated for associated standing appropriations for the budget year. The bill applies powers, duties, limitations, requirements, allocations, nonreversions, and full-time equivalent position authorizations associated with such appropriations from the prior year for the budget year. The bill excludes one-time appropriations from the prior year, as determined by DOM in consultation with LSA. One-time appropriations may include but are not limited to appropriations for an infrastructure project, technology project, or temporary or pilot project or program. The bill does not reapply uncodified transfers from the prior year. Codified transfers are not affected by the bill and would operate in accordance with the Code during the budget year. The bill authorizes DOM, in consultation with LSA, to reduce all continuing appropriations from the general fund of the state under the bill for the budget year by the same percentage if necessary to comply with state general fund expenditure limitation. The general assembly passed similar provisions in June 2020 applicable only to FY 2020-2021.