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Subcommittee approves funding increase for Employment Relations Board, adds mediator position
Summary
The subcommittee approved the Legislative Fiscal Office's recommended 2025-27 budget for the Employment Relations Board, including one additional full-time mediator position to address demand for mediation and facilitation services.
The General Government Subcommittee approved the Legislative Fiscal Office's recommended 2025-27 budget for the Employment Relations Board (ERB) and moved the bill to the Ways and Means Full Committee on May 15, adding one full-time mediator position to the agency's appropriation.
The LFO recommended budget for the ERB totals $7,379,407 across all funds, including $4,123,111 general fund and $3,256,296 other funds, and provides 14 positions (14.0 FTE). The recommendation represents a 16% increase from the 2023-25 legislatively approved budget of $6,364,501 and includes $421,061 total funds for one additional full-time mediator position to respond to increased demand for training, facilitation and mediation during collective bargaining.
Nut graf: Committee members accepted the LFO's rationale that adding mediation capacity could reduce future costs for public employers by resolving disputes earlier, and the committee approved the associated key performance measures and the dash-1 amendment to reflect the recommended budget.
During discussion Representative Taichi asked whether the added position was included because expanded mediation capacity might save public employers money in the long run. LFO staff said the agency argued the new position would help the ERB keep up with caseload and collective bargaining activity; the committee accepted that explanation and moved the recommendation without objection.
The committee approved the LFO's proposed key performance measures and targets for the ERB and accepted the dash-1 amendment reflecting the budget detail. Representative Gomberg moved the recommendation and the committee named carriers for the full committee: Senator Anderson volunteered for the Senate floor and Representative Taichi agreed to carry it in the House.
Ending: HB 5008 will proceed to the Ways and Means Full Committee with the ERB budget as amended; the added mediator position and associated funding will be part of that package for further consideration.
