Appropriations committee endorses DOT pay increases for troopers and highway maintenance, approves jet disposition motion
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Summary
The committee approved multiple Department of Transportation changes: a motion to sell or cannibalize one DOT jet for parts, a $5 million package for pay increases for troopers and highway maintenance (with a condition that new trooper‑1 hires receive increases only after advancing to trooper‑2), an adjustment to taser funding and a footnote tying pay additions to 2024 pay tables if enacted.
The Appropriations Committee took a series of global actions on the Department of Transportation budget.
Representative Pendergraft moved that the state either sell one DOT jet or disassemble it and save it for parts; members amended the motion to clarify the preference to ground one jet and retain it for parts so the remaining aircraft can be supported. The amended motion carried.
Representative Pendergraft also moved to increase the governor’s recommendation by $5,000,000 for pay increases for troopers (levels 1–3) and highway maintenance (including snowplow drivers). After discussion Senator Driscoll proposed — and the committee adopted — an amendment that existing trooper‑1 employees receive the pay increase immediately but newly hired trooper‑1s would receive the increase only when they advance to trooper‑2. Representative Smith added a global footnote stating that if 2024 pay tables are enacted then the additional funds approved here would be removed to avoid double‑dipping; the committee approved that footnote.
In Unit 501 (Highway Patrol), the committee modified taser funding to make the acquisition a one‑time item and set ongoing maintenance at $26,000. Representative Pendergraft also successfully moved to biennialize (treat as ongoing biennial) a $36,444 line item.
Committee members asked staff to confirm operational implications for flight crews if the fleet is reduced; staff noted pilot duty and flight‑time rules limit opportunities to proportionally cut pilot positions.
Agency 45 was closed as amended and the committee moved on to the next agency.