Note: This year IFF rated maintenance bills according to a new system. This is an enhancement bill, and will be treated accordingly. IFF will only consider enhancement line items in these ratings. This means that FTP reductions passed in maintenance legislation will not be evaluated here, among other things.
Bill Description: House Bill 870 is an enhancement of $10,681,000 and 59.50 new full-time positions for OITS for fiscal year 2027. This legislation appropriates a total of $51,721,900 and 302.50 full-time positions to the agency.
Rating: -1
Is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending, if any, inappropriate for the changes in circumstances, scope of the agency, or current economic environment? Conversely, is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending appropriate given any change in circumstances or economic pressures?
This legislation authorizes an ongoing spending enhancement for OITS of $8,815,700, adding onto last year’s (FY26) ongoing spending increase of $4,481,400. FY26’s ongoing spending is wrapped into FY27’s base increase, making ongoing spending especially important to scrutinize. Volatility in these increases (or decreases) is to be expected, and makes discernment on the propriety of new spending imperative.
The increase in ongoing spending ($8,815,700 GF) almost exclusively relates to the transfer of 58 employees from the DHW’s Indirect Support Services to OITS. While the efficiency of OITS is rightfully questioned, this appropriation represents an intergovernmental transfer of money for provided services and therefore is not a true increase in spending.
(0)
Does this budget incur any wasteful spending among discretionary funds, including new line items? Conversely, does this budget contain any provisions that serve to reduce spending where possible (i.e. base reductions, debt reconciliation, etc.)?
This legislation authorizes onetime spending for OITS of $1,865,300, adding additional expenditures after last year’s (FY26) onetime spending of $6,452,600. Onetime spending is often even more volatile than ongoing spending, which is to be expected due to these onetime expenses generally being utilized for projects or capital outlay. This also calls for special scrutiny and discernment.
The majority of the onetime expenditures authorized by this legislation are pursuant to Enterprise Security ($1,316,700 GF), with no other significant general fund onetime enhancements. IT is critical to the efficient functioning of the government, as is security for those systems.
(0)
Does this budget perpetuate or expand state dependence on federal dollars, thereby violating principles of federalism? Conversely, does this budget actively reduce the amount of federal dollars used to balance this budget?
This legislation appropriates $454,400 in federal enhancements to the agency. This represents an unnecessary commitment to continued reliance on federal dollars, deepening the dependence on the federal government and violating the principles of federalism.
(-1)
