On Monday the House will begin working on the 2018-19 budget, as contained in the Long Appropriations Bill crafted by the Joint Budget Committee (JBC).

The JBC has been working on the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year since November 1, when Gov. John Hickenlooper submitted his proposal. They wrapped up their final work on the budget Friday.

The JBC made a slew of last-minute decisions in the past week, based in part on revised revenue projections from state economists who estimated the state government would have $1.3 billion over and above what was initially expected for 2018-19. As of Monday, the JBC had about $1 billion in decisions to make throughout the week.

Based on the revenue forecasts presented Monday, the state’s available general fund revenue is at $13.14 billion. That includes $123.4 million set aside for bills still working their way through the General Assembly, well above what lawmakers have had to work with in the past few years.

The surplus set off a spending spree on priorities like transportation and K-12 education. Hickenlooper followed the news of the revised forecast with a revision of his own: to boost the amount of one-time money to tackle some of the state’s $9 billion transportation projects list from $148.2 million to $500 million, a suggestion the JBC accepted on Wednesday. The second request from the governor was to pay down$100 million of the $828 million debt to K-12 education that began in 2010, when lawmakers decided to set up a “budget stabilization factor” that cut $1 billion from K-12 in order to balance the state budget. That’s despite a state law – Amendment 23 – that requires K-12 education be funded at the rate of inflation. The JBC approved $150 million for the BS factor (yes, it’s really called that).

One of the last items the committee resolved was what to do about the Grand Junction Regional Center, a state-run assortment of facilities for developmentally-disabled residents. Among the center’s facilities is one that houses 22 developmentally-disabled Coloradans. The state has looked for a way to close down that facility and transition the remaining residents into group homes. The problem is that there aren’t enough group homes in the community. The Capital Development Committee recommended the state shell out $3.5 million that would pay for construction of two six-resident homes, relicense two other homes and work on a public-private partnership to lease the main facility to a private provider.

The close-out of the 2018-19 budget was not without a little wistfulness by the committee members. Four of the six will be gone next year: Republicans Sen. Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs, who is term-limited and Sen. Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud, who is running for state treasurer; and Democrats Rep. Dave Young of Greeley, who is also running for state treasurer, and committee Chair Rep. Millie Hamner of Dillon, who is term-limited. The four represent 10 years of experience on the budget committee.

“It’s been a topsy-turvy year but we’re landing in a good place,” Lambert said as the committee ended the first leg of the budget process Friday.

What comes next: the budget and its accompanying bills will be introduced in the House on Monday. It will take most of the week for the package to move through the House, beginning with the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

The House will split into the two caucuses next, to first receive a presentation on the budget. The caucuses will then decide what amendments to offer on the Long Bill, followed by a second reading debate and the final vote.

The Long Bill is likely to show up in the Senate the following Monday, and the process repeats itself. After that, the package goes back to the Joint Budget Committee, which will act as the conference committee, to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions.