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State lawmakers returned to Raleigh this week, days after the State moved into Phase II of Governor Cooper’s three-phase reopening plan. Because the bill filing deadline was set to expire by the end of the day on Tuesday, numerous legislators filed last-minute bills covering items such as state employee retirement, tax changes, broadband expansion, and student health.
The state should expect at least a $4.2B shortfall in General Fund revenue collections from 2019-2021, according to the latest Consensus Revenue Forecast shared with lawmakers on Tuesday. Nonpartisan fiscal research staff said the forecast had been revised this month to show an estimated $1.64B revenue shortfall in FY 2019-20 and an additional $2.57B revenue shortfall in 2020-21 due to COVID-19.
While many expected COVID-19 relief to be the biggest, if not only, topic to be tackled by legislators during this legislative short session, legislators have continued to file numerous education-related policy bills since reconvening on April 28. Legislators were given until last Thursday at 4PM to file most bills with a statewide impact; however, legislative leadership voted to extend the May 19th deadline for filing bills “affecting the State budget, including the budget of an occupational licensing board for FY 2020-21,” until Tuesday, May 26.
The State Board of Education met this morning to address new COVID-19 issues, such as remote learning plans and school nutrition funds, while also approving modifications to ongoing COVID-19 issues, such as licensure requirements and benefits policies. To review the highlight's from today's meeting, click on the "READ MORE" link.
