The legislative process of amending, proposing and re-amending the Long Bill--the 2008-09 state budget that is hundreds of pages long--has begun, and Metro State may receive $5 million from the state’s general fund for next year.

In hearings over the past two weeks, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) of the state legislature considered various models for funding higher education, including ones put forward by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and by the JBC staff. However, the JBC ultimately adopted neither of these models, instead coming up with its own. The JBC funding model, adopted late on the afternoon of March 14, is anticipated to be for one year only, while the CDHE and the state’s colleges and universities work toward agreement on an ongoing funding model for future years.

The model is based somewhat on the results of the peer-funding study conducted by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) in 2007. It factors in a 2.2 percent inflation rate and also includes six additional line items, none of which affect Metro State.

“Metro State’s budget came out substantially better under the JBC’s proposal than the initial funding distribution suggested by the department of higher education,” said Christine Staberg of the The Capstone Group, which tracks legislative matters for the College. Under the CDHE’s allocation model, Metro State would have received $3.2 million.

The Joint Budget Committee released the Long Bill to the House Monday, March 24. Legislative consideration of the bill has begun in the party caucuses, where JBC members answer questions on the bill from other legislators. The bill is expected to go through second reading in the House on Wednesday, March 26. The third reading is anticipated for Thursday, March 27, before it goes to the Senate next week, where it will undergo a similar process. After both houses pass the Long Bill, the JBC members act as the conference committee to resolve any remaining differences between the two houses. Ultimately, the Long Bill will go to Governor Ritter for his signature within 30 days. Ritter does have line-item veto power.

After the legislative session ends on May 7, the JBC staff will write the Appropriations Report, which explains all funding decisions. That report is expected to be published on July 1, the start of the 2008-09 fiscal year.