The Joint Finance Committee of the Delaware General Assembly will begin drafting a final budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021 on Tuesday, June 2.
Three meetings have been scheduled for next week (June 2-4) with two more planned for the following week (June 8-9). All five meetings are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. each day.
Due to ongoing public health concerns related to COVID-19, all five meetings will be held in the House chamber, where seating has been arranged to allow for proper social distancing during the proceedings.
The 12 members of the bipartisan, bicameral committee will be given the option of attending those meetings in person or virtually. Audio of all of JFC’s proceedings will be broadcast live on the General Assembly website.
“These are unusual times that call for us to take unprecedented steps for the protection and safety of the public, our staff and our colleagues,” said JFC Chairman Sen. Harris McDowell, D-Wilmington.
“One thing that has not changed is our Constitutionally mandated responsibility to pass a balanced budget by June 30,” he said. “Given the limited time we have to craft a spending plan that accounts for the sudden and dramatic downturn in our revenue projections, my colleagues and I have agreed that the best course of action is to meet in one location as best we can, while also taking as much precaution as possible.”
“Crafting a balanced budget that protects and preserves services for Delawareans who most need them will be a challenge given the economic uncertainty that this pandemic has unleashed,” said JFC Co-Chairman Rep. Quinn Johnson, D-Middletown. “There will be some hard decisions ahead, but we are focused on writing a responsible budget that will carry our state through the next fiscal year.”
Legislators and staff who attend JFC meetings in person will be required to enter the building through the main entrance, where they will undergo health screenings before being allowed to proceed into the House chamber. Everyone permitted to enter will be required to wear a face covering in all public areas of the building and while interacting with others. Legislators and staff also will be required to maintain 6 feet of space at all times.
Legislative Hall will remain closed to the public during these proceedings.
For a full list of upcoming JFC meeting dates, please visit https://legis.delaware.gov/Committee/JointFinance.