Industrial Commission seeks staffing, IRIS maintenance and vehicle replacements in 2026 budget request

The Industrial Commission told the Joint Finance Preparation Committee on Jan. 23 that its 2026 budget request centers on maintaining the IRIS case-management system, funding several positions by using existing vacant full-time positions (FTP), and replacing aging field vehicles.

The request, presented by Noah Peterson, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, was described as relying solely on dedicated commission funds rather than the general fund. Peterson said the commission has 130.25 FTP authorized, with 12 vacancies reported as of August, and that most of the agency’s appropriation is drawn from four dedicated funds: the Industrial Administration Fund, the Peace Officer Temporary Disability Fund, the Crime Victims Compensation Fund and a Miscellaneous Revenue Fund.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff told lawmakers the bulk of the commission’s work—adjudicating workers’ compensation disputes, running rehabilitation services and operating the crime victims compensation program—depends on timely processing and field work. Committee members repeatedly pressed agency leaders to explain why modernization work on IRIS, a multi‑year automation effort, has led to continuing maintenance costs and increased staffing needs rather than reducing them.

Peterson told the committee that the IRIS modernization has been funded with multiple appropriations totaling $12,874,000 in one‑time monies from FY2021 through FY2025 and that the fiscal 2026 requests include both ongoing and one‑time amounts tied to IRIS maintenance and related replacements. He said the agency reverted roughly $4,555,000 last year, largely from…