Panel advances House Bill 1023 after debate over PERSLink funding, new FTEs and IT costs

At a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee’s Government Operations Division (date not specified), the committee voted unanimously to adopt an amendment to House Bill 1023 and to give the bill a do-pass recommendation as amended.

Representative Kemptnick, the bill carrier, walked members through amendment 25.0167 0.01001 (recorded in the transcript as 25.0167 0.01001 and later referenced in committee paperwork as 25.0161S when moved). He summarized the package as an increase in special funds totaling $3,155,508, including salary increases, additions to the new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expense increases, two new FTEs and one-time IT funding for the agency’s PERSLink project. He said the package includes two new positions categorized in testimony as an accounting position and an enrollment specialist.

Derek Cobine, identified in the transcript as chief operating and financial officer, described the two new positions: “the accounting position, which is gonna be used to onboard and educate all new authorized agents at our employer level,” and an “enrollment specialist who is in charge of doing all the optional changes with the new plan, with the defined contribution plan and deferred compensation plan, to provide depth in that area.” Cobine said both positions will work on all plans the office administers and that the enrollment team is the agency’s thinnest division and needs depth to handle new workload.

Committee discussion reviewed line-item detail recorded in the transcript: a base salary increase (described in the record as about $1.689 million), added funding to cover cost-to-continue salary and benefits ($152,826 and $612,559 in the transcript), $442,662 for the two new FTEs, $1.2 million to replenish the new-and-vacant FTE pool and an additional $607,000 added for the 2025–27 pool, a $45,000 office intern line, and operating and rent increases described in the record as roughly $310,906. The transcript also records one-time funding for PERSLink and Sagitec contractors of $539,595 to support three contractors (a project manager and two developers) intended to push forward four major IT projects; committee members were told the request is one-time funding for this biennium, with a potential reassessment in two years.

Representative Meyer suggested considering temporary salary funding rather than creating a permanent FTE for one of the new positions; the transcript records committee agreement to address whether temporary funding could be an option if the full committee or conference questions staffing. Chairman Munson and others noted the item had been scrutinized in prior sessions and that much of the request is special-fund driven rather than general fund.

Representative Kemptnick moved amendment 25.0161S to House Bill 1023; Vice Chairman Brandenburg seconded. The clerk recorded a roll-call vote of seven members in favor, none opposed. Kemptnick then moved a do-pass on House Bill 1023 as amended; Brandenburg seconded and the committee recorded a second 7–0 roll-call vote carrying the motion.

The transcript does not record floor action beyond the committee recommendation or further detail on how the PERSLink contracts will alter long-term base costs if additional work remains after the current biennium.