The House Committee on Appropriations met to take up and heard invited testimony only on HB 1 (Bonnen) relating to making appropriations for the legislature and legislative agencies.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. This report is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing; it is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Bonnen – laid out HB 1
- Identical to what was adopted in CCR last session
Legislative Budget Board Staff – resource witnesses
- Howard – Did entire language of Art X get vetoed or just certain parts?
- Portions vetoed were funding related to dollars or riders related to dollars
- Underline is what is being added back
- Dollar amounts are the same as was in the CCR
- Howard – can we get details on the unexpended amount of other state agencies beginning FY 2022?
- It total its in the neighborhood of $40-50 million
- Can get list by agency
- Howard – asked about transfer authority?
- Within Art X, Legislative Leadership has the ability to move funds within agencies
- Howard – Number of FTEs impacted by Art X?
- Just a bit over 2,100 by Art X when looking at each agency impacted by Art X
- Howard – if funding were not there, would employees affected be furloughed or could they work without pay?
- May be by entity or up to House Administration
- Howard – how does not have Art X impact employee’s benefits?
- Benefits would cease to exist on 8/31 if they are separated from employment
- Howard – has this ever happened before?
- Not that he is aware of
- Howard – would like to revisit with Bonnen about a slight increase in the interim office accounts, now that they have a special session. They have done that before. Notes it would need to be a separate bill.
- Stucky – would like to discuss possible pay raises for employees
- Up to the chamber to discuss
- Jarvis Johnson – how much does state have to pay in UI if all 2,100 employees filed for unemployment?
- Will review and get that detail to them
- Dominguez –can staff opine on importance of Art X staff to functions of legislature?
- Great question, for LBB and several counterparts in Art X feel LBB serves a critical role
- Believes other offices would say the same
- Dominquez – asked about function of auditor office? Ability to look for mismanagement? Does SAO findings affect opinions on what legislature should be providing funding for?
- Agrees
- Dominguez – salaries being discussed are paid out of GR. Asked if GR has increased? Heard Comptroller determined that there may be more funds?
- Revised Revenue Estimate did show more funding available
- 2023 ending balance increased to $7.8 billion
- Dominguez – would that be enough to give legislative employees a raise?
- Decision for you all to make
- Dominguez – when was last time House or any agency employees got COLA?
- Believes last time was 2015 but will go back and look
- Zwiener – wanted more details on health care costs, would employees have to go through COBRA if could not fund Art X? How much would it cost?
- Would be up to individual employees and there would be a cost for the individual employees – will go find out the cost to them
- Agrees it would not be a cost borne by the state
- Zwiener – how much funding is in the bill?
- $325.4 million in total all funds
- Fiscal note was $315 in GR, most were general revenue funds that agencies are funded by
- Zwiener – how much for House themselves?
- $91.7 million
- Zwiener – less than a 1/3 of funds for House, rest was for Senate or agencies to support legislature to do their job and provide oversight?
- Yes
HB 1 voted out favorably unanimously 21-0