Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Pay topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate passes resolution urging local pay increases for police, firefighters and correctional officers
Summary
The Utah Senate approved SCR 1 (as amended), urging local jurisdictions to consider pay increases for police, firefighters and correctional officers to help offset reduced retirement benefits for new hires and to address recruitment and retention challenges.
The Utah Senate on the floor approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 (SCR 1), a nonbinding legislative statement urging local jurisdictions to consider pay adjustments for certain public safety employees whose retirement benefits were reduced under earlier reforms.
Senator Wyler, sponsor of the measure, told colleagues that the retirement reforms adopted in 2010 (tier 2) reduced retirement benefits for new hires and that some of the resulting savings to employers could be spent to increase pay. "Retirement benefits for new hire cost savings, to the entities that employ the police and firefighters ... some of that money should be spent on increasing salaries because tier 2 is less expensive than tier 1," Wyler said while explaining the purpose of the resolution and why he expected some resistance from groups who want deeper reforms.
Wyler offered Amendment #1 to expand the definition of 'peace officer' to include correctional officers after correctional staff requested explicit inclusion. He said the amendment would address that request and moved the amendment for consideration. Senator May questioned the sponsor about whether the resolution creates any new mandates; Wyler and May clarified the resolution is a tool for local chiefs and elected officials to use when asking for pay increases and does not direct local governments to act. May indicated support and said the resolution will be "a tool" to urge pay increases amid staffing shortages.
Under suspension of the rules, the sponsor moved SCR 1 as amended for third reading; the Senate proceeded to a roll call and recorded multiple ayes, moving toward final passage. The resolution’s core effect is advisory: it asks local jurisdictions to consider pay adjustments to offset retirement-reform impacts and help recruitment/retention of public safety personnel.
Next steps: Because SCR 1 is a concurrent resolution, it carries legislative support for local advocacy but does not create a statewide pay mandate; local elected officials, city councils and county administrators retain authority over compensation.
