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JFAC approves $1.27 million in dedicated funds for licensing division; committee adopts new reporting language for 45 boards
Summary
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved $1,268,900 in dedicated fund enhancements for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, and accepted language aligning reporting requirements for 45 boards and commissions, including a quarterly reporting requirement and raising the corrective-action fund-balance cap to 50%.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved an additional $1,268,900 in dedicated funds for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) for fiscal year 2026 and adopted amended reporting language for boards and commissions overseen by the division.
The division requested three enhancement packages totaling $1,268,900 from dedicated funds. Those included an ongoing pay increase totaling approximately $222,000 to raise inspector pay (an average increase of 95 cents per hour across 92 full-time positions) intended to address high turnover among inspector positions; a one-time request of $900,500 to replace vehicles in the division fleet (16 Ford F-150s, five Ford Escapes, one Ford F-250 and one Ford Explorer); and a one-time request of $146,400 for Office of Information Technology-recommended hardware, including conference-room audio/video equipment and 76 laptops plus docking stations and network equipment.
Budget analyst Kellen McGurkin told the committee the division is funded entirely through dedicated funds (fees collected from regulated boards and commissions) and that inspector vacancies and turnover were driven in part by pay that is below industry standards. A motion to add $1,268,900 from dedicated funds for DOPL FY2026 needs was moved on the floor, seconded and approved.
Separately, the committee accepted language intended to align the division’s appropriation reporting requirements with policy language in policy bill 152. The accepted language requires quarterly reporting of expenses and revenues for each of the 45 boards and commissions to the Legislative Services Office and the related board or commission. It also increases the upper cap on individual fund balances that triggers the submission of a corrective action plan from 25% to 50%, a change made per a recommendation of the Legislative Audits Division. The committee granted unanimous consent to accept the language as shown on the screen; no objections were recorded.
The motion to add $1,268,900 carried on the floor. The committee reported the appropriation with a do-pass recommendation; recorded votes showed the Senate at 9 ayes, 1 nay and the House at 7 ayes, 3 nays, for a combined tally reported as 16 ayes and 4 nays. The language aligning reporting requirements will accompany the appropriation as the measures proceed in the budget process.
