Hello everyone,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Each year the middle of March means the revenue forecast on which the JBC bases the next year’s budget will soon be released; and this year that day is today. This afternoon the JBC will hear from the economists at Legislative Council and OSPB about their most recent revenue forecasts. The JBC will then vote to use one of the forecasts to finalize next year’s budget. While the forecasts are historically very similar, since we are talking about billions of dollars, even minor differences can result in differences of millions of dollars available for the budget.
Concerning the budget, last Wednesday, the JBC officially approved a 2.5% across the board pay raise for next year as well as full funding for the Trooper Pay Statute. The JBC also voted to impose a 1.5% base reduction on personal services lines, but excluded 24/7 employees and facilities, lines with fewer than 20 FTE, and all enterprise funding. The JBC’s understanding is that this reduction will come from vacancy savings and if any employee salaries are cut, they want to hear about it. In addition, the JBC voted to approve the Governor’s request to rescind the earlier request for the state to pay 100% of health, life, and dental insurance increases next year. This means next year the budget will continue the current state/employee ratio of premium payment of 88/12 and will save the state $3.3 million of General Fund.
The JBC also voted to fund the full $225 million transfer to PERA. This is great news! Many of you may remember that the legislature cancelled the transfer in 2020 during the pandemic. PERA estimated that missing that one $225 million payment would have a $900 million impact on PERA long term. We are very grateful to Rep. Shannon Bird (D-Westminster) who has continually led the effort to require the legislature to make this annual transfer as well as the other members of the JBC – Sen. Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village), Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County), Sen. Judy Amabile (D-Boulder), Rep. Emily Sirota (D-Denver), and Rep. Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction) – for funding the full PERA transfer in a very difficult budget year. However, all these decisions are subject to change depending on the revenue forecasts that will be released this afternoon.
Also last Wednesday, HB 1243 Peace Officer Questions During Traffic Stop was supposed to have been heard in the House Judiciary Committee. HB 1243 would prohibit a peace officer making a traffic stop from asking the driver or a passenger if they know the reason for the traffic stop and instead require the officer to inform the driver of the reason for the stop. The CSPA opposes HB 1243. At the beginning of the hearing the committee chair announced that the sponsor had asked for the bill to be delayed. This is a good sign, but House Judiciary is a tough committee, and the bill is by no means dead. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to convince the committee members that HB 1243 is unnecessary and should not pass out of committee.
So far, there have been 501 bills introduced – 302 in the House and 199 in the Senate. Only 51 more days until the General Assembly is required to adjourn sine die.
Bill Skewes
Lobbyist