143C-4-6. General Fund operating budget size limited.

(a) Size Limitation. - Except as otherwise provided in this section, the General Fund operating budget each fiscal year shall not be greater than seven percent (7%) of the projected total State personal income for that fiscal year.

(b) Increase in Size Limitation. - To the extent that any percent increase in appropriations for a fiscal year for (i) Medicaid, (ii) operation of prisons, or (iii) operation of the courts or (iv) the costs of providing health insurance for teachers and State employees, exceeds the percent increase in State personal income growth for the same period, the limitation on the size of the General Fund operating budget provided in subsection (a) of this section for that fiscal year shall be increased by the dollar amount represented by the excess percentage. For all subsequent fiscal years, the percent limitation contained in subsection (a) shall then be increased to reflect that dollar adjustment.

(c) Fiscal Reports. - The Office of State Budget and Management and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly shall each submit a tentative estimate of total State personal income for the upcoming fiscal year to the General Assembly no later than February 1 of each year. The Office and the Fiscal Research Division shall each submit a final projection of total State personal income for the upcoming fiscal year to the General Assembly no later than May 1 of each year. The General Assembly shall use the lower of the two final projections to calculate the limitation on the size of the General Fund operating budget provided in this section.