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Budget committee approves HB2007 recommendations for multiple boards; indigent defense pay increase amendment fails
Summary
The Legislative Budget Committee voted to approve Legislative Budget Committee recommendations (HB 2007) for multiple boards, and rejected an amendment to add pay increases for public defenders.
The Legislative Budget Committee voted on multiple legislative budget recommendations (HB 2007) covering several boards. Committee motions were made to adopt the Legislative Budget Committee's recommendations for fiscal years (FY) 2025–2027 for several agencies; most motions passed on voice votes or by unanimous consent.
Votes at a glance
- Abstractors Board of Examiners: The committee moved and approved the Legislative Budget Committee recommendation for FY2025, FY2026 and FY2027 (HB 2007). The motions passed without recorded roll call and were approved by voice vote.
- Board of Technical Professions: The committee approved the LBC recommendation for FY2025. For FY2026 and FY2027 the committee approved the LBC recommendation as amended to remove funding for a social media consultant ($30,000 removed for FY2026; $31,000 removed for FY2027). Committee members said the consultant could be delayed and the adjustments carried by voice vote.
- Board of Indigent Defense Services: The committee considered an amendment to add $1,665,575 to provide a 10% salary increase for public defender positions in FY2026. Representative Hoyt moved the amendment, arguing that vacancies and workload warranted the increase; Representative Carr and others urged a long‑term solution to staffing and caseload pressures. The amendment failed after the committee counted four affirmative votes; the mover and a recorded chair vote indicated the amendment did not carry. The committee then approved the Legislative Budget Committee recommendation for FY2026 by voice vote.
Details and vote notes
- Several motions were introduced by the committee chair to adopt LBC recommendations for individual boards and fiscal years. Seconders were requested but not always named in the transcript; most final actions were voice votes, and the transcript does not provide a full roll call for those approvals.
- Representative Hoyt (mover of the indigent defense amendment) framed the request as a targeted salary increase to address vacancies and to avoid continued reliance on contracted caseload work. Representative Hoyt said the amendment would add $1,665,575 for a 10% increase for FY2026. Committee discussion cited 289 authorized FTEs and 31 vacancies in the indigent defense agency as part of the broader staffing context.
- On the Board of Technical Professions item, the committee removed social media consultant funding for the two fiscal years in question after discussion that the expense could be deferred.
The committee completed the listed budget recommendations and adjourned.
