|
State or Other Jurisdiction |
Procedures or Provisions for Public Input During Budget Deliberation |
|
Alabama |
None. |
|
Alaska |
Opportunities for public comment and testimony occur during House and Senate finance committee and subcommittee hearings. |
|
Arizona |
Testimony at appropriations committee hearings. |
|
Arkansas |
Legislative budget meetings are held in public when deliberating agency budget requests, executive recommendations and appropriations bills. |
|
California |
Public input is heard during legislative hearings. |
|
Colorado |
Joint Budget Committee sets aside time to receive public input. |
|
Connecticut |
Through the Joint Appropriations Committee. Joint Rules 6 and 15(b) set policy generally for public hearings. On the budget, public hearings generally are held in the evenings over a six- to eight-day period in early to mid-February. |
|
Delaware |
None. |
|
Florida |
Through public testimony during committee meetings. |
|
Georgia |
At the discretion of the chairs of each appropriation subcommittee. |
|
Hawaii |
Through public hearings in both the House and Senate. |
|
Idaho |
None. |
|
Illinois |
Through public and committee hearings. |
|
Indiana |
Public input usually is limited. |
|
Iowa |
No formal public hearing process. |
|
Kansas |
Committee and subcommittee deliberations are public meetings and public input may be allowed at the discretion of the chair. Public input is not allowed when the bill is being debated by a full chamber. |
|
Kentucky |
Budget chairs permit (planned or requested) public hearings. |
|
Louisiana |
Public hearings are held in the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. |
|
Maine |
The Appropriations Committee holds joint public hearings with each policy committee of the Legislature specifically to receive public input, including departmental testimony. |
|
Maryland |
Testimony may be taken at agency budget hearings. |
|
Massachusetts |
None. The public is invited to watch the proceedings of the full House during the budget debate, which usually lasts four to seven days. The Conference Committee proceedings--during which the budget compromise between the House and Senate finally is achieved--are closed proceedings. |
|
Michigan |
The budget is developed by subcommittees of the appropriation committees of the House and Senate. Both hold a series of meetings that are open to the public. |
|
Minnesota |
Through committee hearings. |
|
Mississippi |
No formal process. |
|
Missouri |
All bills, including appropriations, must have a public hearing by the appropriate committee in each house. |
|
Montana |
All committees provide for public input through normal hearing process. |
|
Nebraska |
No formal process. The Appropriations Committee holds hearings on all state agencies before making a budget recommendation. These hearings are open to all. |
|
Nevada |
Assembly and Senate budget committees hold hearings that allow for public input. |
|
New Hampshire |
The public may attend budget hearings. |
|
New Jersey |
The legislative budget committees generally hold public hearings on the governor's budget (by custom, not by law). Three to four joint hearings usually are held. |
|
New Mexico |
Public comment may be taken during Legislative Finance Committee budget hearings (September though December) if the chair allows it. |
|
New York |
The executive budget is subject to a joint legislative hearing process. |
|
North Carolina |
Statute requires open meetings at which all comers have the right to be heard (ยง143-14). |
|
North Dakota |
Only at the request of the chair. |
|
Ohio |
During committee hearings in the House and Senate, but not in conference committee. |
|
Oklahoma |
Public input is taken at numerous committee hearings. |
|
Oregon |
Public testimony is taken during subcommittee deliberations. |
|
Pennsylvania |
Budget hearings are held for agency heads in the House and Senate in the spring. Public letters and other communication are welcome. |
|
Rhode Island |
The House and Senate hold departmental budget hearings. |
|
South Carolina |
Through budget subcommittee hearings but usually not during full committee meetings. |
|
South Dakota |
Public testimony. |
|
Tennessee |
Public testimony before the Senate and House finance and ways and means committees. |
|
Texas |
Public hearings are held by both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. |
|
Utah |
None. |
|
Vermont |
Through conference committees that all are open. |
|
Virginia |
State law requires the money committees to hold regional public hearings on the proposed budget before the session convenes. Typically, five to six hearings are held around the state. |
|
Washington |
Not designated. |
|
West Virginia |
Budget hearings do not include presentations by the public or special interest groups. |
|
Wisconsin |
The Joint Committee on Finance holds numerous public hearings throughout the state on the budget. Public testimony is not permitted during voting sessions. |
|
Wyoming |
Limited. |
|
American Samoa |
-- |
|
District of Columbia |
-- |
|
Guam |
Public hearings are held after executive and agency budgets are received. |
|
Northern Mariana Islands |
If the governor's proposed budget includes a special interest group appropriation request, the Legislature may require such special interest group to be heard in a public hearing. |
|
Puerto Rico |
Before the budget is approved by the Assembly, both houses hold meetings to hear the opinions of the people. |
|
U.S. Virgin Islands |
-- |
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