JFAC defers change-in-employee-compensation decisions after last-minute revisions and withdrawn motions

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee engaged in extended debate over proposed changes to employee compensation but did not adopt any final action Friday after multiple motions were amended and ultimately withdrawn to allow staff time to reconcile numbers.

Analysts described two principal approaches on the table. One (the CEC committee recommendation) was to provide a $1.55 per hour increase to permanent state employees (a flat-dollar approach that is a larger percentage raise for lower-paid employees), along with targeted adjustments including an 8% increase for Idaho State Police trooper pay, a $1.55 or 3% increase for nursing/healthcare staff (whichever is greater, distributed on merit), and a 4.5% market-based increase for classified IT and engineering positions. The governor's alternative described in the packet called for a 5% merit-based (or equivalent dollar) increase for permanent employees with market-based adjustments for IT and engineering positions.

Committee debate covered multiple issues: whether to set a flat-dollar increase versus a percent/merit-based increase, whether adjustments should include public school staff, and whether nonclassified IT and engineering positions (for example in the Controller, Attorney General's Office, Secretary of State and the courts) were properly included. Representative Furness and Senator Cook each proposed motions; the numbers and scope shifted during the discussion as staff recalculated totals and members sought to add nonclassified positions and the public school support amounts to some proposals.

Representative Furness defended the CEC approach, saying the $1.55 figure helps lower-wage workers proportionally more and noting prior committee intent to reduce an overfunded insurance reserve; Senator Cook urged merit-based increases to reward performance and argued a flat-dollar approach amounted to an equity-based banding rather than reward for higher-performing staff.

Because the original motions on the floor contained omissions (members asked staff to include nonclassified IT and engineering positions and public school compensation items and to correct dollar totals), lawmakers ultimately withdrew the substitute and original motions later in the morning. Committee leadership said staff needed time to reformat and verify numbers; after an extended recess, Representative Furness formally withdrew his motion and Senator Cook withdrew his substitute motion by unanimous consent. The committee adjourned with instructions that maintenance budget work would continue the following day, and that compensation proposals would return for further consideration after staff revisions.

Why it matters: employee compensation decisions affect retention and recruitment across state government, with particular attention to IT, engineering and public safety positions that compete in tight labor markets. The committee's deferral preserves time for staff to confirm counts and totals before JFAC takes a binding action.

Key procedural outcome: Both the substitute and original compensation motions were withdrawn by their sponsors to allow staff to prepare corrected motions and supporting documentation; final action is postponed to a future meeting.