House and Senate Budget Watch, Part 1: The Conference Committee
(SPECIAL REMINDER: Written Testimony Regarding the Independent Contractor Law Needed This Week!)
The Conference Commitee
The state legislature is currently in the “Connference Committee” stage of its annual budget process. The members of the committee are hammering out the differences between the budget proposals of the House and Senate. Soon, they will have a compromise Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal for the full legislature to vote on.
There are several funding line items and two “outside sections” within the budget proposals that MALC has been following:
Massachusetts Office of Tourism and Travel (MOTT) Funding
Through its marketing work and via its regional offices of travel and tourism, MOTT supports art, culture, and the creative economy. The MA Film Office is under MOTT.
The House of Representatives accepted House Amendment 352 to line item 7008-0900, filed by Representative Cory Atkins, that increases a line item of MOTT funding from almost $6 million to $20 million. Two MOTT amendments to the Senate budget, both filed by Senator Eric Lesser, failed to pass. Senate Amendment 472 to line item 7008-0900 would have increased a line item of MOTT funding from $7.5 million to $10 million and Senate Amendment 475 to line item 7008-1015 would have added $1.5 million to a MOTT funding.
Since increased MOTT funding was included in the House but not the Senate budget, the Conference Committee will need to determine whether any increased funding makes it into the compromise budget.
Library Funding
Two House budget amendments aimed at increasing library funding were accepted. House Amendment 569 to line item 7000-9406, filed by Representative Kate Hogan, allocates $250,000 for the Massachusetts Center for the Book. House Amendment 661 to line item 7000-9401, filed by Representative Kevin Kuros, bumps State Aid for Regional Public Libraries from $9.7 million to over $10 million.
Two Senate library amendments were accepted and one was rejected. Senate Amendment 135 to line item 7000-9401, filed by Senator Michael Rush, bumps Library of the Commonwealth funding from almost $9.7 million to almost $9.9 million. Senate Amendment 139 to line item 7000-9501, filed by Senator Donald Humason, Jr., bumps Regional Public Libraries funding by $29,000. Both were accepted. Senate Amendment 137 to line item 7000-9506, filed by Senator Jennifer Flanagan was rejected. It would have allocated $200,000 for the Massachusetts Center for the Book.
Since both the House and Senate have similar library funding amendments, the Conference Committee will most likely keep some form of them in the budget. It will have to decided whether to allocate money for the Massachusetts Center for the Book, which the House funds but the Senate does not.
Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) Funding
Both the Senate and the House accepted amendments to boost MCC funding. House Amendment 357 to line item 0640-0300, filed by Atkins, boosts the MCC budget to $12 million. (Atkins sought even more funding, but was still able to negotiate for more than the House Ways and Means Committee originally allocated.) SenateAmendment 130 to line item 0640-0300, filed by Senator Daniel Wolf, boosts the MCC budget to $14 million. The House also accepted House Amendment 277 to line item 0640-0000, filed by Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, which allocates $250,000 for MCC’s Integrated Marketing for Cultural Districts efforts.
The Conference Committee will most likely choose to level fund the MCC as the House approved, or get closer to the higher Senate number. It will have to decide whether to fund the Marketing for Cultural Districts efforts in any amount, since the House approved funding while the Senate did not.
Film Tax Credit “Outside Section.”
Outside sections do not allocate funding, but do impact the policies of the state. The Senate accepted an amendment striking anti-film tax credit language from the budget and creating a special commission to study the program: Senate Amendment 43, filed by Senator Jamie Eldridge. The House did not accept any similar amendments, but has not shown an appetite to disband the film tax credit.
Percent For Art Program.
The approved Senate budget contains Percent For Art language to be added to SECTION 14. Chapter 7C of the General Laws. Under this program, if construction or substantial renovation of state-owned buildings and properties is undertaken, a minimum of 0.5 per cent of the cost of that construction or substantial renovation, not to exceed $250,000, shall be dedicated to the preservation of existing public art and the creation of new public art.
The House budget does not contain Percent For Art language. Therefore, the Conference Committee will need to decide whether such language remains in or is cut from the compromise budget to be sent to Governor Charlie Baker.
MALC will keep you informed as the state budget moves toward completion. Stay tuned!
Coming Next Week: House and Senate Budget Watch, Part 2: The Procedural Debate