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Compensation committee urges targeted pay increases, including up to 8% for state troopers; JFAC accepts report
Summary
The Change in Employee Compensation committee recommended several targeted salary adjustments — a general upward shift of pay schedules and specific increases for state troopers, IT/engineering and nursing — and JFAC accepted the report by unanimous consent.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee accepted the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) committee’s report, which recommends a set of pay schedule shifts and targeted salary increases for state employees including a proposed increase for Idaho State Police troopers.
Senator Dan Foreman, co‑chair of the CEC committee, told JFAC the committee recommends shifting the primary compensation schedule upward by an average of 3.2% as recommended by the Division of Human Resources, while leaving the minimum for pay grade D at $7.25 per hour. The committee also recommended moving specialized schedules upward by an average of 3.2% for public safety, 3.0% for IT and engineering, and 3.5% for nursing and health care. Foreman said the committee recommended the legislature fund a salary increase for state employees of $1.55 per hour per full‑time position (FTP), with flexibility for agency heads and institution presidents to distribute that funding.
On trooper pay, Foreman described a staffing crisis in patrol ranks and said the committee recommended the legislature fund an increase for Idaho State Police troopers in pay grade L of up to 8%, again with distribution flexibility to agencies. "The request or recommended increase in pay was driven by what I would term a serious public safety emergency," Foreman said, noting some patrol districts are operating at roughly 50% staffing. Representative Tanner asked the committee how they arrived at the trooper recommendation; Foreman said low wages were the principal driver of recent departures and that an 8% increase could improve retention.
Other CEC recommendations included a 4.5% proposed increase for IT and engineering schedules and a pay formula for nursing and health care positions (the greater of $1.55 per hour per FTP or 3%). The committee recommended maintaining the current employee benefit package and set an increased appropriation level for FY2026 "from 13,000 to 13,960 per FTP," which the committee described as a budgeting benchmark.
Senator Ward Engelking voiced concern that employees making roughly $64,000 would not receive a 5% raise and warned of high turnover and vacancies; he said some positions are as much as 25% below market. Senator Woodward expressed support for the committee’s work. The committee’s CEC report was accepted by unanimous consent.
Why it matters: CEC recommendations set parameters for statewide salary and benefit decisions that JFAC will consider in maintenance and enhancement budgeting. The trooper‑pay recommendation was framed as a public‑safety retention measure; other targeted recommendations respond to recruitment and retention pressures in IT, nursing and other specialized fields.
The report was accepted by unanimous consent; the committee noted members will have further opportunities to debate and set appropriations during upcoming budget hearings.
