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5 <br /> 1 Representative Price said it is going to be very difficult to pass a budget this year. <br /> 2 Chair Hamilton asked when the short session ends. <br /> 3 Representative Price said the short session begins in April and will end at the end of the calendar <br /> 4 year. <br /> 5 Representative Buansi said the bulk of the work will be done by the end of the July, but legislators <br /> 6 may meet again between then and the end of the year to vote on specific issues. <br /> 7 Chair Hamilton asked when the next comprehensive budget cycle will begin. <br /> 8 Representative Buansi said January 2027. <br /> 9 Commissioner Bedford said SNAP benefits and error rates are affecting DSS funding. She <br /> 10 estimated it would be a $680,000 to$900,000 hit to the county budget. <br /> 11 Travis Myren said that would be for administrative costs. He said benefit contributions would not <br /> 12 be affected until the following fiscal year. <br /> 13 Commissioner Bedford said she would like the state to continue participating in SNAP because this <br /> 14 directly impacts the economy and people's health. She said she supported increasing the salaries for state <br /> 15 legislators to encourage more people to serve. <br /> 16 Vice-Chair Fowler highlighted two goals on the larger agenda packet: <br /> 17 - Support legislation to establish a Medicaid code to reimburse behavioral health urgent care <br /> 18 (BHUC) services at a sustainable rate. <br /> 19 She said this will help with funding the new crisis diversion facility. <br /> 20 - Seek full funding for public Pre-K education which benefits both students and the general <br /> 21 public through improved life-long health/mental health, achievement, and other benefits. <br /> 22 She said this would have long-term benefits for the students as well as the public. She said due to lower <br /> 23 birth rates and declining school enrollment,there is likely room in schools for younger children if funding <br /> 24 is available. She said this would also help with providing childcare and getting more people into the <br /> 25 workforce. <br /> 26 Commissioner Carter the NCACC is pressing for a delay in changes due to HR 1 so that the impacts <br /> 27 to counties are postponed. She thanked Representatives Buansi and Price for their service. <br /> 28 Commissioner McKee noted the challenges that legislators face in the General Assembly. <br /> 29 Representative Price expressed appreciation for her staff's assistance. <br /> 30 Representative Buansi thanked the commissioners for their efforts. <br /> 31 Chair Hamilton thanked Representatives Buansi and Price for attending the meeting and listening <br /> 32 to the county's concerns. <br /> 33 Chair Hamilton thanked Commissioner Carter, Commissioner Portie-Ascott, Greg Wilder, Travis <br /> 34 Myren, and Caitlin Fenhagen for their work on the list of legislative priority issues. <br /> 35 <br /> 36 Adjournment <br /> 37 <br /> 38 The Board adjourned the meeting at 9:54 a.m. without a formal motion. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 41 <br /> 42 Jean Hamilton, Chair <br /> 43 <br /> 44 <br /> 45 Recorded by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board. <br /> 48 <br />