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Joint Budget Committee approves $327,000 radio replacement for youth services, members press procurement options
Summary
The Joint Budget Committee approved a staff recommendation to fund replacement two‑way radios for Division of Youth Services facilities, citing safety and obsolete Motorola support; members asked staff to explore competitive procurement options and raised recurring radio costs across agencies.
The Joint Budget Committee on the figure‑setting day approved a staff recommendation to fund replacement two‑way radios in Division of Youth Services facilities, a request the Department of Human Services said is needed because the current Motorola system is no longer supported. Emily Pope, JBC staff, told the committee the department requested $327,000 in the budget year and $337,000 ongoing to replace radios on a five‑year rotation to ensure staff can communicate with central security and protect staff and youth.
Pope said the request appears reasonable given the safety rationale and past practice of transferring funds into this line to cover overspending. Representative Taggart and other members pressed procurement questions, asking why Motorola repeatedly appears as the provider and whether a competitive RFP could yield alternatives. "Is there a process for contracting for these radios? Are we definitely going with Motorola again?" Senator Mobley asked.
Pope said standard procurement rules apply and departments must follow RFP thresholds; Representative Brown and others noted a full competitive procurement is typically required for purchases above certain thresholds. Vice Chair Bridges said the committee has repeatedly discussed radios because they are a core safety need across facilities: "While I'm aligned with Rep. Taggart that that got us over a barrel ... it's kind of a core need at many of these facilities." He moved the staff recommendation (R1), and the committee approved the request on a recorded voice vote.
The committee did not direct a specific procurement change but asked staff to look into alternative vendors and the procurement pathway. The approval was framed as an ongoing rotation and a safety measure; no additional policy or statutory changes were adopted in the session.
The committee's action: staff recommendation R1 (DYS radios) was moved and adopted (vote recorded in the figure‑setting transcript).
