The conference committee on the operating and mental‑health appropriations bills left item 3 in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development budget open on May 16, 2025, after a committee member objected that the proposed decrement would eliminate a position created by prior legislation.

Senator Kaufman told the committee the position was created through SB 147, and that the department had hired and trained a worker in that role. He said removing the position would reverse reforms aimed at reducing a backlog in workers’ compensation and returning people to work: “We had created, through SB 147, the position that the department of labor has told us they've already hired and trained, and this decrement by not funding it, will delete that position.”

Vice Chair Senator Hoffman acknowledged the concern and said the item represents roughly $125,000; he agreed to leave item 3 open for further dialogue. The committee adopted other Department of Labor items as non‑conferenceable while item 3 remains unresolved.

Why it matters: Committee members characterized the position as a navigator role intended to break a backlog in the workers’ compensation system and improve return‑to‑work outcomes. Deleting the position could affect the department’s ability to process claims and provide case assistance.

Details and next steps: The committee left item 3 open; further negotiation is expected before finalizing the budget. The transcript ties the position to SB 147 (previous session law) and gives an approximate annual cost of $125,000 for the item; no precise appropriation language was read into the record during the discussion.