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Subcommittee advances DAS compensation report, citing 2.5% and 4% COLAs and new top step
Summary
The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government reviewed a Department of Administrative Services compensation report on Feb. 11, 2026, which proposes two cost‑of‑living adjustments and a new top salary step; the subcommittee acknowledged receipt and sent the report to the full committee with an LFO recommendation.
The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government on Feb. 11, 2026, acknowledged a Department of Administrative Services (DAS) report outlining negotiated compensation plan changes affecting several state bargaining groups and moved the report to the full Ways and Means Committee.
Erin Haney, State Labor Relations Manager with the Department of Administrative Services, told the subcommittee this is the fourth bargaining report for the 2025–27 biennium and the last to include executive branch employees. "There are 2 cost of living adjustments, a 2.5% effective February 1, which is payable in the March 1 paycheck and a 4% effective 01/01/2027," Haney said. Haney also said the majority of the changes include adding a new top step to most affected compensation plans, effective Feb. 1, 2027, and that the changes cover roughly 10% of executive branch positions.
Representative Smith raised whether any reductions were made at the lowest step or whether the change simply added a higher top step. Haney replied, "There was just a new 1 added to the top. We did not take anything off the bottom," and reminded members that in the prior biennium the state had truncated some lower salary ranges to raise bottom levels.
Tamara Brickman of the DAS Financial Office recommended the committee "acknowledge receipt of the report." Legislative Fiscal Office staff also advised the subcommittee to acknowledge receipt. Following that recommendation, the co-chair moved to send the report to the full Ways and Means Committee with the LFO recommendation. No member voiced opposition, and the motion was approved. The co-chair asked Senator Sandra Anderson to carry the report to the full committee; Anderson agreed.
Staff reminded members to watch for meeting notices and said there may be no meeting the following Monday; the committee was also told an informational hearing with DAS on recently concluded Workday settlements is scheduled for next Wednesday. Members discussed whether any additional work sessions would be needed beyond forthcoming policy bill assignments; staff said they had no additional sessions known to schedule and would await bill assignments.
The subcommittee adjourned after completing the procedural action to forward the report.
