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Senate Finance panel sends bill to raise three commissioners’ salaries to the Senate
Summary
The Senate Finance Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1148 to the Senate with a due-pass recommendation. The bill sets statutory salary increases for the Public Utilities Commissioner, the State Tax Commissioner and the Idaho Industrial Commissioner; funding would require a separate trailer appropriation from JFAC.
The Senate Finance Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1148 to the full Senate with a due-pass recommendation after a short hearing that framed the measure as a policy change to raise commissioner pay.
Keith Bybey, division manager in the Legislative Services Budget Policy Analysis Division, told the committee the bill would statutorily increase salaries for three commissioners beginning July 1, 2025. "This bill would increase the Public Utilities Commissioner's salary from 126,424 to 129,648. The state tax commissioner's salary would be increased from 117,396 to 120,620. And finally, the Idaho Industrial Commissioner salary would be increased 123,126 to 126,350," Bybey said.
Bybey emphasized the distinction between the policy change and funding. "This is only the policy that changes the salary ... and then it would require an additional action by JFAC to actually fund this bill," he said. He told senators the total fiscal impact in a trailer appropriation would be $39,600, of which $13,100 is general fund and the remainder comes from dedicated accounts.
Senator Ziderfeld asked whether these commissioners receive raises annually in step with the state's employee CEC. Bybey replied, "Historically it's been pretty close to every year. When there hasn't been a state CEC provided, then there hasn't also been a commensurate increase for these commissioners. Typically when you would see a CEC provided to state employees, you would see a bill like this." He also told the committee JFAC retains discretion to fund or not fund the policy and that agencies might absorb increases within existing personnel budgets.
After brief remarks and no formal opposition on the record, a senator moved to send SB 1148 to the Senate with a due-pass recommendation; the motion was seconded by Senator Carlson. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.
Because the bill only sets statutory salaries, any additional appropriation to cover the increases would require JFAC action in a trailer appropriation bill if the Senate and House advance the policy change.
The committee record shows the policy language in the bill sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.
