Legislative panel reviews roughly 780 vacant state positions; debates how to handle new-and-vacant FTE pool

Legislative staff told the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division on Friday that the state had roughly 784 vacant full‑time equivalent positions as of Dec. 1, 2024, and that lawmakers must decide whether to restore the associated funding into a central pool or to each agency’s budget.

The vacant‑position snapshot was intended to give committee members a place to start as they review agency budgets ahead of the 2025 legislative session. "Almost 375 vacant positions as of December 1, 2024, and a total of $75,700,000 involved with that," said Adam, legislative staff, describing the Department of Human Services (DHHS) portion of the report. He said the full report showed about 784 vacant positions totaling roughly $162,000,000 across state agencies.

Why it matters: the committee must reconcile vacancies and proposed new positions when it sets authorizations and funding. If the Legislature restores vacancy savings into a centrally controlled new‑and‑vacant FTE pool — as it did in the previous biennium — agencies could draw on that appropriation later in the biennium. If instead the Assembly restores funds directly into each agency’s base, the flexibility and accounting look different and some savings may be realized as part of the beginning general‑fund balance for the next biennium.

Key points from staff presentation and committee discussion

- Scope and timing: The vacancy report is a snapshot compiled as of Dec. 1, 2024. Adam said agencies reported 784 total vacancies and that DHHS accounted for about 374 of those vacancies and just under half of the funding reflected in the report. He noted some positions listed as vacant had been filled after Dec. 1 or were reported as…