Monday evening the House Ways & Means Committee passed Senate Bill 6503 (a.k.a. the furlough bill) out of committee and to the House floor. After four scheduled executive sessions on the bill the committee finally moved the bill forward by a 12-10 vote along party lines.

The bill headed to the House floor for a vote looks different than the bill received from the Senate.

The subsitute bill includes, but is not limited to, the following:

– An intent section is added stating the Legislature intends that state agencies and institutions of higher education reduce government operating costs through the methods described in the act by $50 million from the General Fund-State and the Education Legacy Account, as well as additional proportionate amounts from other funds.

– The Office of Financial Management (OFM) shall certify to each state agency the compensation reduction amount to be achieved by the executive branch agency or institution.

– Executive branch general government state agencies and higher education institutions may submit plans that achieve compensation cost savings equal to closing the agency for 11 days to the OFM by May 15, 2010.

– Compensation reduction plans submitted by higher education institutions may include leave without pay, temporary layoffs, reductions in force, reduced work hours, and voluntary retirement, separation, and other incentive programs authorized by law. By June 1, 2010, the OFM shall review, approve, and submit the higher education institution plans that achieve the required cost reductions to the legislative fiscal committees. Those institutions that do not have approved plans will close on the 11 dates specified in the amendment.

Senate Bill 6503 now goes to the House floor for a vote. If it passes the House, the bill will return to the Senate for consideration of the amended legislation.