H.B. 7 Social Services Base Budget

What this bill does

This bill sets the base budget for the state Department of Health and Human Services agencies overseen by the Social Services Appropriations Committee at about $8.6 billion total for the next fiscal year, including about $1.6 billion from the General Fund. It reduces the current 2026 appropriation by about $90 million and directs a $10 million ongoing deposit into a Medicaid growth reduction account, with any further budget cuts to be made later in separate appropriation bills.

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Every vote

• 73 yes, 0 no, 2 absentFinal House vote · Jan 28, 2026Who voted how
• 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absentFinal Senate vote · Jan 29, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Jan 26, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (3 turns)

  1. Reading Clerk21:55

     circled. Madam Reading Clerk House Bill. Seven. Social services based budget by Representative Ward.

  2. Rep. Raymond P. Ward22:01

     Representative Ward. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Motion to circle

  3. Speaker (presiding)22:04

     Motion. Motion is in order. Go ahead and place the motion. The motion before us the House Circle P seven. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Roll That Motion passes. And HB seven's been circled.

• Jan 28, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Speaker (presiding)30:16

     Representative Ward Thank you Mr. Speaker Motion

  2. Unknown speaker30:19speaker not certain

     to Uncer House bill seven

  3. Speaker (presiding)30:21

     A motion is in order. We will go ahead and place the motion. Motion for the House encircle HB seven. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Will that motion passes And HB seven is Uncircled And before the body for consideration Representative Ward.

  4. Rep. Raymond P. Ward30:35

     Thank you, uh, colleagues. This Bill appropriates the base budget for the all the agencies that are directly overseen by Social Services Appropriations Committee and that essentially is our Department of Health and Human Services. Um, this bill, uh, does a great thing. It reduces our appropriations for the 2026 year by 90 million. So that is a big, uh, cut of 90 million. So we're glad for that. That largely is because of reduced Medicaid, uh, caseload growth, people doing well enough that they no longer, uh, needed Medicaid services. Um, the Bill Appropriates 8.6 billion in total funds. Um, as is usual for our budget that from social services, uh, the smaller amount of that 1.6 billion is General fund. Uh, and then the larger amount is from Federal Match that comes to the state Medicaid program. Um, by far the biggest program in social services budget is Medicaid itself and then Services for Disabilities is the second largest. And then all of our other state related health programs, this is their base budget. Thank you.

  5. Speaker (presiding)31:52

     Thank you Representative Ward.

  6. Speaker (presiding)31:53

     Discussion, uh, to the bill Being none back to your representative board for summation, I'll waive summation has been waived.

  7. Speaker (presiding)32:02

     Voting will now be open on HB seven. Seeing all President having voted voting is now closed. HB seven passed this body with 73 yes. Votes to zero, no votes will be sent to the Senate for, uh, its consideration. Okay. Representatives, we will now move back and do our, uh, daily business. Uh, so with that Madam Reading Clerk for committee reports,

• Jan 29, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Sen. Keven J. Stratton13:07

     Bill HB 2 0 7. This Bill Appropriates, the base budget for the agencies are directly overseen by Social Service Appropriations Committee, the Department of Health and Human Services. As you've heard before, the base budget bill funds DHHS at the same amount as FY 2026 ongoing appropriations. This this, this bill also makes technical changes. The bill reduces the current fiscal year 2026 appropriation by 90.3 million For fiscal 2027 starting in July. This bill appropriates 8.6 billion total funds including 1.6 billion from the general fund and 4.4 million from income tax fund. The largest funding source in this bill is federal funds at a total of seven point billion 7.0 billion in fiscal year 2027. The largest use is for paying Medicaid services to low income clients. This bill reflects a 10 million ongoing deposit into the Medicaid growth Reduction and Budget stipulation account as directed by the Executive Corporations Committee during the 2025 meeting. We, through this session, we'll consider adjustments to the budgets of these agencies. We are currently reviewing 126 possible budget reductions, total 196.5 million ongoing and 40,000,001 time. And we've heard about every single dollar concerns for every single cut. Any approved adjustments will be made on the appropriation bills that we, we consider near the end of the session. Thank you Mr. President.

  2. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)14:54

     Thank you for that presentation. Again. I think that's the largest part of our budget in social services. So looking for discussion seen. And I'm gonna go to you for a motion.

  3. Unknown speaker15:05speaker not certain

     I move the question. Thank you.

  4. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)15:06

     Thank you. The question is under suspension of the rule. Shall house Bill seven pass Roll call vote.

  5. Senate clerk (roll call)15:11

     Senator Vickers. Baldy Aye. Lewin Brammer Bus Comore Aye. Escamilla Aye. Fillmore a Grover Harper Hankins Ipsen Johnson Quan McKay Mikel Milner Musselman. Oman Owens Pitcher Plum Rebi Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vickers Weiler Wilson Winterton.

  6. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)16:06

     President Adams Aye. House Bill seven, having received 26 a votes, zero na votes three being absent PA passes. This body will be signed by the President. And return to the house for the s for the speaker. Senator Balderree to encircle a bill?

  7. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)16:27

     Thank you. We have a motion to Un Circle House Bill one. Public education base Budget amendments our second largest budget. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Will let motion passes. Senator Baldry.