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Public Regulation Commission asks for staffing, IT and space in expanded budget vision; committee adopts LFC recommendation
Summary
The Public Regulation Commission presented a strategic budget vision that includes 17 new FTEs, a multi-million-dollar IT modernization request and funding to address lease and hearing-room shortages. The committee adopted the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) recommendation instead of the PRC’s larger request.
The Public Regulation Commission (PRC) told the Appropriations & Finance Committee it is facing more cases and new regulatory duties and asked for a substantial budget increase to add staff, modernize IT and secure more office/hearing-room space.
PRC chief-of-staff Toya Curry and DFA analyst Arianna Beheel told the committee the executive and LFC recommendations are similar for recurring costs but differ primarily on personnel and one special IT request. Curry said the PRC’s “vision” totals about $20.1 million across general fund, other state and federal funds, including roughly $16.3 million in recurring general fund spending and 17 new full‑time positions to handle the growing caseload (about 400 cases last year and expected to rise).
The PRC asked for staff increases targeted to a new community solar division (5 positions; about $700,000), expanded technical advisory capacity for commissioners, additions to legal and hearing examiner teams, and a chief‑of‑staff office expansion. The agency also requested $200,000 for lease/space-related costs because the building identified for PRC occupancy lacks sufficient square footage and hearing-room facilities, Curry said.
On special nonrecurring spending, Curry reiterated a long‑running IT modernization need. She said the agency’s current filing process requires email exchanges and manual downloads, increasing errors and staff time. The PRC’s earlier RFI-based estimate was $2.5 million; after an RFP and further procurement work the contract estimate rose to about $2.8 million. The PRC asked for $1 million in nonrecurring funding; DFA and LFC differ (executive recommended $1 million; LFC recommended $500,000 for that IT ask).
Members of the committee asked about facilities, vacancies and public outreach. Curry said the PRC was moved during the pandemic into leased space in the Bocum Building and that a 2023 bill authorized GSD to purchase a building for the PRC; the purchase is not yet complete. She said the PRC’s vacancy rate has fallen from roughly 27–28% to about 8–8.5% as positions have been filled. The agency described a planned “road show” of commission meetings outside Santa Fe and a planned community outreach/consumer‑advocate position to improve public accessibility and stakeholder engagement.
The committee adopted the LFC recommendation for the PRC budget by voice vote, with Vice Chair Sarnana moving adoption and Representative Hernandez seconding; the clerk recorded no objections.
Curry and DFA staff said the LFC’s lower recurring recommendation reflects budget constraints the legislature generally observes, and the committee flagged the PRC request for further staff review.
