S.B. 8 State Agency and Higher Education Compensation Appropriations: transcript

Yeah, this bill provides appropriations related to state employee compensation adjustments and, uh, makes other technical changes. Uh, I can present the whole bill now or, Okay. No thank you. Let's

Okay. So, uh, this bill as substituted provides appropriations related to state employee compensation adjustments for fiscal year 2026. This bill makes supplemental appropriations of 8 million across all funding sources, including reductions of 290,100 from general fund and 1.3 million from income tax fund for fiscal year 2027. This bill appropriates 194.9 million across all funding sources including 133.5 million from general fund and income tax fund. The funding mix of for these appropriations includes statutory federal regulatory and non statutory exemptions as approved by E-A-D-E-A-C in December. Some the summaries of this bill, some of the highlights. This bill provides funding for a 2.5% labor market increase for state employees and higher education employees. This bill also provides funding equivalent to a 2.5% labor market increase for employees of the judicial branch and constitutional offices. It provides funding for health and benefit cost changes as recommended by the public employee health programs for state employees. It provides funding for retirement rate changes as recommended by the Utah Retirement Systems. It provides funding for an up to $26 per pay period 401k match for qualifying state employees. And finally, it provides funding for benefit changes made by SB 22 in the 25 general session. With that Mr. President, I'm open for questions.

Thank you. Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to amend, uh, first substitute Senate bill eight, I think it's Senate Amendment one

wanna explain the, the amendment? Yeah. So this amendment, uh, would increase the compensation for employees of the University of Utah from 2.5% to 8%. Uh, the university has not received pay for performance funding increases and the purchasing power of university employees has gone down as a result due to the rapid increases in cost of living within Salt Lake County, uh, this would help restore university employees purchasing power and $113 million of this increase would come from the income tax fund. So I believe that's similar to the amount that we are proposing in a, in a tax cut from the income tax fund.

Thank you. I would resist this motion. Uh, the University of Utah Compensation package was included last year and again this year at a rate that's equal to the rest of our state employees and across the state in our university system. This would imbalance in a great way, uh, the compensation package only at one university.

Thank you. I would move that under suspension of the rules. First substitute Senate Bill eight pass.

of the president, Madam Reading Clerk First substitute Senate Bill eight State Agency and Higher Education Compensation appropriations by Senator Sandall.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. This bill provides appropriations that are related to the state employee compensation adjustments. So give you a summary. It provides a 2.5% labor market increase for state employees and higher education employees. Uh, 2.5% marketed increase for judicial branch and constitutional offices. It provides health and benefit, uh, cost changes as recommended by the Public Employees Health Program. Um, it funds the retirement changes that we have in our system by URS and it also provides funding for the 401k match and it also provides funding for the benefit changes made by SB 22, which is the state employee benefits amendments. So with that, I'm open to any questions.

Waive. Thank You. Summation is waived.