Committee adopts amended House Bill 1003, advancing attorney general budget with new positions and one‑time funds

The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division on Feb. 4 adopted amendments to House Bill 1003 and voted to give the attorney general’s biennial budget a “do pass, as amended” recommendation to the floor, with roll‑call results recorded as 6 yes, 0 no, 1 absent.

The amended package adds four full‑time equivalent positions to the attorney general’s office (two paid primarily with federal funds) and includes one‑time and base adjustments intended to cover crime‑lab equipment and maintenance, litigation costs, human‑trafficking grants and several technology upgrades.

Committee members said two of the four new positions are largely federally funded and the other two are paid from the office’s appropriations. Representative Sanford, who led the budget walkthrough, listed the new roles as a state crime evidence technician, staff for a medical fraud unit, an executive staff officer (communications), and a tobacco compliance auditor. Sanford said the tobacco auditor would be paid from tobacco trust funds for a posted amount of about $239,000.

Levi, committee staff, explained a provision added to the bill that provides the attorney general’s office limited spending authority to accept and spend additional federal or special funds that may arrive during the biennium without first seeking emergency commission approval. Levi described the provision as “spending authority the Assembly has appropriated … in the event that additional federal or special funds become available to their office throughout the biennium,” and noted typical incremental amounts discussed would fit in the low‑hundred‑thousand range.

On base‑level adjustments, the committee included a 3% reduction to certain operating lines and trimmed recurring costs where possible. Members also noted a $330,000 reduction tied to the state having paid off a bond related to the State Crime Laboratory, allowing a smaller base appropriation.

The amendment package includes $1.8 million in one‑time capital funding for crime‑lab equipment and maintenance agreements, roughly $2.1 million for criminal justice information‑sharing and related IT projects (including a general‑fund component to replace a jail system and SIF funds to replace the SAVN system), and $8 million one‑time for the Litigation Fund (an increase of $3 million from the prior session). The bill also sets aside $650,000 one‑time for human‑trafficking grants intended to leverage additional federal funds.

Committee members asked for additional detail on a $110,000 general‑fund line for law‑enforcement dogs. Sanford said he would get more information, noting an apparent per‑dog cap of $2,000 that the committee would verify. The committee also trimmed the number of replacement vehicles from earlier requests, reducing the vehicle line to about $540,000, and identified smaller IT and equipment lines (for example, network switches and portable radios funded from SIF and federal sources).

After discussion, Representative Swantek moved to adopt the amendments; Representative Martinson seconded. The clerk took a roll call (recorded as: Chairman Naithi — yes; Vice Chairman Swanick — yes; Representative Lauser — yes; Representative Hansen — yes; Representative Richter — yes; Representative Sanford — yes). The amendment passed. Representative Martinson then moved a “do pass, as amended” recommendation; Representative Sanford seconded. The committee again approved the motion on roll call (final recorded tally 6 yes, 0 no, 1 absent).

Committee staff and members said the package includes a small number of transfers and accounting changes tied to prior uses of the AG refund fund; staff explained some prior salary equity increases were funded from settlement proceeds deposited to that fund and that the fund could no longer sustainably cover some operating shifts, prompting requests to convert those costs back to the general fund.

The bill, as amended, now proceeds with the committee’s recommendation to the full chamber.

Ending: Committee members asked staff to provide additional itemized detail for several lines (K‑9 funding per‑dog limits, vehicle counts and exact SIF/federal breakdowns for the IT projects) before the bill reaches the floor.