Assigned to GOV & APPROP                                                                                           FOR COMMITTEE

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1350

 

state employees; salaries

 

Purpose

 

Appropriates $188.8 million in total funds in FY 2001-2002 and $379.8 million in total funds in FY 2002-2003 for increases in state employee pay.

 

Background

 

The Joint Legislative Study Committee on State Employee Compensation was created in 1997 to study the various state personnel systems, state employee compensation and related issues.  In addition, the Committee is required to submit recommendations on a long-term strategy for addressing state employee compensation.  Laws 1998, Chapter 292 established the legislative intent that state employee compensation be within five percent of market compensation, including salary and benefits, by the end of FY 2002-2003.

 

In its 2000 report, the Committee accepted recommendations of the various personnel systems to bring the compensation of their respective employees to within five percent of market.  This legislation appropriates the approximate amounts recommended by the Committee.

 

This legislation appropriates $188.8 million in FY 2001-2002 and $379.8 million in FY 2002-2003 from a variety of funds to be allocated in amounts sufficient for pay adjustments to the various personnel systems.  Of these amounts, $156 million and $312.9 million are from the state general fund in FY 2001-2002 and FY 2002-2003 respectively.  Fiscal impacts to specific other funds are unknown at this time.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Appropriates $188,800,000 in FY 2001-2002 ($156,000,000 state general fund and $32,800,000 other funds) and $379,800,000 in FY 2002-2003 ($312,900,000 general fund and $66,900,000 other funds) for increases in state employee pay.

 

2.      Allows other appropriated funds to be allocated from listed funds.

 

3.      Includes personal services and employee related expenditures for state officers and employees in accordance with the department’s or agency’s compensation plan.

 

4.      Requires the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) staff to determine, and the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) to allocate, an amount sufficient for pay adjustments that increase the agency’s or department’s total eligible personal services base on the following percentages:

 

Entity

FY 2001-2002

FY 2002-2003

Universities

7.8 percent

7.8 percent

Department of Public Safety

5.4 percent

5.4 percent

Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind

4.25 percent

4.25 percent

Judiciary

19 percent

0 percent

All other agencies

7.1 percent,

plus 3.5 percent merit

7.1 percent,

plus 3.5 percent merit

 

5.      Prohibits an individual merit pay adjustment from exceeding twice the percentage of the merit pay percent.

 

6.      Provides a legislative intent that the guidelines established by each personnel system for distribution of the merit pay adjustments must ensure that eligible employees who are performing satisfactorily must receive merit adjustments.

 

7.      Requires the JLBC staff to determine and the ADOA to allocate, adjustments, as necessary, in total expenditure authority to allow implementation of salary adjustments of comparable amounts.

 

8.      Disqualifies, from the salary adjustments, board and commission members who are paid on a per diem basis and agency heads who are appointed for a fixed term of office.

 

9.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

January 31, 2001