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Senate accepts conference report on appropriations; 1% COLA set with 3% pool for exceptional raises
Summary
The Utah Senate accepted a conference committee compromise on the Appropriations Act (House Bill 387), adopting a 1% cost‑of‑living adjustment and making up to 3% of funds available for exceptional employee and administrative salary adjustments; the measure passed on a recorded vote.
The Utah Senate on March 2 accepted the conference committee report for the state budget and passed House Bill 387, the Appropriations Act, after floor debate and a recorded roll call.
Senate conference chair Leray McAllister presented the committee compromise, saying it reinserted a 1% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) and set aside up to 3% of remaining funds for "exceptional employees and other administrative salary adjustments." McAllister moved that the Senate accept the report and place the bill for final passage. "I move that we accept the committee report, mister president," he said.
The nut graf: the Senate’s action finalized funding priorities negotiated by the conference committee, keeping the core COLA at 1% while reserving a modest pool to reward staff and administrators judged to merit extra pay. Supporters said the compromise balanced overall fiscal restraint with limited flexibility for personnel, while opponents registered concerns about leaving pay decisions to administrative processes.
On the roll call, the motion to accept the conference report carried and the Senate recorded the final passage of HB387 (the official floor statement recorded the House Bill 387 conference vote as 24 ayes, 4 nays, 1 absent).
Background details supplied on the floor noted specific page and line amendments adopted by the conference committee; the actions included deletion and reinsertion of certain compensation language and references to the Goldenrod amendment sheets distributed to senators at the desk. McAllister and House chair Mel Brown were named as conference chairs who presented the compromise.
The Senate sent the bill back to the House for their further action consistent with the conference report. The vote ended the Senate’s formal budget debate on the floor for the regular session; next procedural steps are transmission between chambers and final enrollment before the governor’s consideration.
The Senate accepted the conference report and passed HB387 under suspension of the rules; the accepted COLA level and the exceptional‑employee pool will be reflected in the enrolled appropriation sent forward.
