Committee advances bill removing election-day holiday for legislative employees

The Legislative Administration Committee advanced Senate Bill 87 on a voice vote after testimony from legislative human-resources staff that the measure is intended to create parity with other branches and give employees scheduling flexibility.

Senator Derrick Harvey, sponsor of Senate Bill 87, told the committee the bill would "eliminat[e] the state general election day as a holiday for our legislative employees." Kelly D'Silva, the legislative branch human-resources director, testified as an informational witness and answered committee questions about the bill's practical effects on pay, leave and voting access.

D'Silva said the change would put legislative staff in parity with the executive branch and that the branch uses a floating holiday system. "The floating holiday is picked by the employee with the permission of the supervisor and it's a day they need to be gone," she said, adding that floating holidays "have to be used within that year" and do not carry over. On questions about overtime or premium pay for work on a holiday, D'Silva explained the floating holiday differs from a traditional holiday where overtime rules could apply.

Senator Dunwell asked whether employees would still be able to take time to vote; D'Silva replied that legislative employees work a flexible schedule and "as long as they give notice to their supervisor, you know, they can do things like appointments. And so, yes, they would have a chance to vote." Committee members also asked whether eliminating the holiday is a cost-saving move; D'Silva framed the change as parity and scheduling flexibility rather than a primary cost-savings measure.

Senator Harvey closed by saying the bill would "bring parity, for our staff, and it gives them some flexibility," and the committee moved and passed the bill by voice vote. The committee chair recorded proxy aye votes for Senator Zolnikoff and Vice Chair Emerich; the transcript does not show a numeric roll-call tally.

The bill, as described in committee, removes the general-election-day holiday designation for legislative-branch employees; it does not change state election laws or the right or access of citizens to vote. The HR director said supervisors will continue to manage leave approvals and that employees retain ability to use a floating holiday or flexible schedule to vote.