The respective Senate and House budget amendments were made public yesterday. There were no changes to new positions and funding included for COs in the Governor’s budget. All new funding items for COs (unfunded and underfunded positions) remain in both recommended Senate and House budgets.
The House budget is preferable to the Senate Budget.
The House amendments (477 #1h) provide for the following for all constitutional officers and their employees: 1) a 1% across-the-board salary increase effective July 1, 2020; 2) a 1% salary bonus payment on September 1, 2020; and 3) a 2% across-the-board salary increase effective July 1, 2021.
Note: State employees are proposed to receive a compression-based increase of $75 per year of service between 5 and 30 years, with no increase for less than 5 years of service, in lieu of the 1% across-the-board increase proposed for constitutional officers and their employees in 2020; all other proposed bonus/increase amounts are the same for state employees as state-supported local employees.
The Senate amendments (477 #4s) provide for the following: 1) for sheriffs and their employees only, a $200 salary bonus payment on December 1, 2020; and 2) for all constitutional officers and their employees, a 3% across-the-board salary increase effective July 1, 2021.
Note that with the exception of the $200 bonus payment for sheriffs and their employees, the across-the-board salary increases are subject to a revenue contingency, requiring that FY20 year-end revenues meet certain levels in order for the salary increases to go forward.
Ross Mugler, Joe Horbal, Madeline Abbitt, and Page Johnson all believe we should support the House budget amendments. Therefore, unless the majority of the Executive Board feels otherwise, they will immediately begin working the following likely budget conferees on this issue:
Senate
Saslaw, Howell, Edwards, Lucas, Norment, Hanger, (possibly Deeds, Ruff?)
House
Torian, Sickles, Plum, Cox, Knight, (possibly McQuinn, Aird, Rush?)
There was one additional House budget amendment that was approved:
Item 75 #1h Originally Item 75 #2h was submitted by Delegate McQuinn (pt. Chesterfield, Henrico & Richmond City).
“The Compensation Board shall perform a review of the career development programs within the constitutional offices regarding the demographic composition of the employees in the programs and make recommendations as needed to ensure equity and fairness within the programs. The Compensation Board shall provide a report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by November 1, 2020.”
Explanation:
(This amendment requires the State Compensation Board to conduct a review of the demographic composition of the career development programs and make recommendations as needed to ensure fairness and equity the program.)”
As a reminder, the last day the House and Senate to act on their respective budget bills is February 26th. The GA session ends (Sine Die) on March 7th.
Excellent work!!!