Members of the conference committee adopted several items for the Office of the Governor on May 16, 2025, but left item 4 open after a committee member said the reporting language was too prescriptive and asked for the item to be reconsidered.

Senator Hoffman moved to adopt items 1, 2, 3 and 5 for the Office of the Governor; item 3 included modified intent directing the Office of Management and Budget to use zero‑based budgeting principles for one agency and to report to the finance committees and the Legislative Finance Division. Senator Kaufman objected to item 4, saying the intent was to get reporting on what he called “the efficient frontier on staffing versus overtime versus bonuses” but that the text may have been “a little over articulated.” He asked that item 4 be left open for further consideration. The chair agreed and the committee left item 4 open while adopting the other governor’s items.

Why it matters: The adopted intent language on item 3 requires OMB to prepare a zero‑based budgeting report for one agency; item 4’s reporting requirements were left open after concern the language was too prescriptive. Both items affect executive‑branch budget preparation and oversight.

Details and next steps: Item 3 was adopted with modified intent directing OMB to produce a report. Item 4 remains open and may be rewritten or adjusted in subsequent negotiations before the appropriations bills are finalized.