Conference committee reviews House'Senate differences on judicial budget in Senate Bill 2002

The conference committee on Senate Bill 2002 met to compare the House and Senate versions of the judicial branch budget and to begin negotiating differences, focusing on salary adjustments, new staff positions and several program funding changes.

Representatives and senators opened the meeting by reviewing the long sheets prepared by Legislative Council that compare the House and Senate versions. Representative Hansen walked the committee through the House changes and their rationale: "That was, 1 of the major changes we made. We added just over $2,000,000 to that line item," referring to an increase to the judicial branch compensation grid for nonjudicial employees.

The change matters because it would move the branch'wide compensation grid closer to market midpoint and add targeted funds for judges. Representative Hansen said the House added about $2,000,000 to bring nonjudicial employees to just under a 5% midpoint increase and separately increased the judges and justices line by $236,000 so that those salaries reach the midpoint nationally. She summarized the percentages the House included: "This would represent an 11.1 increase for the…