JFAC approves pay adjustments for three state commissions tied to SB1148 change

The committee approved appropriations to implement salary adjustments to commissioners affected by legislation that amended pay rates for certain state commissioners.

Kellen McGurkin explained that Senate Bill 1148 amended statutes to provide a $1.55 per hour increase for commissioners at the Public Utilities Commission, Industrial Commission and State Tax Commission to align their compensation with other state employees' cost-of-living increases. The committee considered three motions, one for each agency, to provide the fiscal-year 2026 appropriations needed to implement those changes.

The committee approved an additional $11,800 from dedicated funds for the Public Utilities Commission, an additional $15,700 (a $13,000 general‑fund increase and $2,700 from dedicated funds) for the State Tax Commission, and an additional $11,800 from dedicated funds for the Industrial Commission. Each motion passed on recorded roll calls; the committee recorded total majorities on the three motions and recommended due pass on the trailer appropriations implementing the statutory change.

The chair noted that by statute these commissioners require separate appropriations to effect the compensation change. The appropriations are limited to salary and associated benefit costs tied to the statutory change and do not constitute broader changes to agency budgets.