Enacted Budget – Fiscal Years 2026-2027
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signed multiple bills comprising the state’s fiscal 2026-2027 biennial budget in June. The budget provides total funding, net of interagency transfers, of $49.6 billion over the biennium, an increase of $2.7 billion, or 5.8 percent, compared to the approved operating budget for the 2023-2025 biennium. For General Fund appropriations, the budget provides $12.3 billion over the biennium, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 11.0 percent, over the approved operating budget for the 2023-2025 biennium. The revenue forecast, adjusted for legislative actions, estimates $12.2 billion in general fund revenues over the 2026-2027 biennium, an increase of 1.6 percent over the revised forecast for the 2023-2025 biennium. The state’s General Fund balance is projected to be $635.1 million at the end of fiscal 2026 and $552.0 million by the end of fiscal 2027. The balance in the Rainy Day Account is projected to be $1.3 billion at the end of the biennium.
The legislative session, including passage of the biennial budget, highlighted progress across multiple areas including education and housing. In education, the budget increases funding across the biennium for the K-12 funding formula, state special education funding, transportation services for pupils demonstrating financial need, the state Pre-K Program, and early childhood literacy and readiness programs. The budget also increases funding for the Incentivizing Pathways to Teaching Program and increases support for the state’s Public Charter School Authority and higher education system. The budget includes a reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services, creating instead the new Department of Human Services and the Nevada Health Authority. The budget increases funding to address the impact of opioid and other substance use disorders, maintain provider rates for developmental services and home-and community-based services, support public health districts, and add positions to support eligibility and intake for programs including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. In housing the budget includes funds to develop supportive housing for individuals with extremely low incomes or special needs, support attainable housing development, provide homeownership assistance programs for essential workers, and provide incentives to help local governments increase the supply of attainable housing. Other investments supported in the budget include increased funding and additional positions at the Gaming Control Board to support increased workload; workforce development projects; and adding positions at the Department of Corrections to address overtime expenses.