Senate Finance Committee approves sending bill to raise three commissioners' salaries to Senate

The Senate Finance Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1148 to the Senate with a due-pass recommendation. The bill would statutorily raise the salaries for three state commissioners — the Public Utilities Commission, the State Tax Commission and the Idaho Industrial Commission — and, if enacted, would require a trailer appropriation from the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) to provide the funding.

Legislative Services Budget Policy Analysis Division manager Keith Bybey told the committee the bill changes statutory salary amounts so they align with recently adopted employee compensation adjustments. "This bill would increase the Public Utilities Commissioner's salary from 126,424 to 129,648. The state tax commissioner's salary would be increased from 117,396 to 120,620. And finally, the Idaho Industrial Commissioner salary would be increased 123,126 to 126,350," Bybey said.

The committee was told the total fiscal impact of a trailer appropriation would be $39,600, of which $13,100 is general fund; the remaining amount would come from dedicated accounts. Bybey and members clarified that SB 1148 is a policy bill that changes the statutory salary amounts; a separate JFAC appropriation would be required to actually provide the dollars.

A senator on the committee summarized the effect of approving the policy: "If we do not do this this action here we cannot fund their raises so I think this is a really important thing to pass so they actually will get some benefit of their raises for sure," the senator said.

Committee members asked whether these salaries are adjusted annually with the state CEC. Bybey said historically salary adjustments for these commissioners have typically followed the state compensation adjustments but require a statutory change because the salaries are set in Idaho Code. He also told the committee JFAC could choose whether to fund the policy or absorb the increases within existing agency personnel budgets.

The committee approved sending SB 1148 to the Senate with a due-pass recommendation by voice vote; the record shows an "aye" on the motion and no recorded opposition. The committee did not take a roll-call vote and no individual tally was recorded in the transcript.

The bill moves next to the full Senate; if enacted the statutory salary changes would take effect as written in the bill and a later JFAC appropriations action would be necessary to provide funding.