The House proposal to transfer the responsibilities for the transportation revenue forecast to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) has followed a somewhat tortured path this year. Aiming to create better coordination and consistency between
forecasts, HB 1838 travelled a relatively straight path through its house of origin, only to turn circles in the Senate.
Its direction remains uncertain as it returns to the House for concurrence, where the bill sponsor may or may not accept the changes made in the opposite chamber.
To track the bill’s progression, read AWC’s previous coverage here and here.
The latest version of HB 1838, introduced in a striking amendment last week on the Senate floor, effects a balance between its earlier iterations. The bill:
- Changes the membership of the ERFC from four to eight legislative appointees and increases the number of votes needed for the Council to approve a forecast from five to seven.
- Creates a new Transportation Revenue Forecast Council, to adopt forecasts consistent with the requirements for the ERFC forecasts, with the following members:
- Director of the Office of Financial Management
- Director of the Department of Licensing
- State Treasurer
- Chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Transportation Committees.
- Directs the ERFC director to support the work of the Transportation Revenue Forecast Council.
- Adds staff from the House and Senate Transportation Committees and the Department of Licensing to the ERFC work group.
- Removes references to and repeals statues related to the current process for transportation revenue forecasts, effective July 1, 2024.
HB 1838 as amended cleared the Senate floor by a unanimous vote. It returns to the House for concurrence or to be negotiated in conference committee.