Committee advances bill to provide demographic impact analysis and one FTE for legislative staff

Senator Rachel Talbot Ross, sponsor of LD 590, told the State and Local Government Committee the bill as amended would require nonpartisan legislative staff to collect and assemble racial and other demographic data from state agencies and to produce demographic impact statements for legislation. "This particular bill... also includes other demographics," Talbot Ross said, noting the amendment adds one full-time position in the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis to respond to committee requests and to perform routine legislative work.

Kristen, the committee analyst, summarized background materials appended to the analysis, including a 2021 Legislative Council report and previous legislation (LD 2 and LD 14 32). She said the amendment reflects committee suggestions from the public hearing and that the sponsor supplied a chart and report excerpts for members' review.

Committee members questioned whether the position would be permanent, how it would be funded and whether existing vacancies might make adding staff risky. Representative Randy Greenwood said he supported the concept but worried about creating another position amid unfilled vacancies; Talbot Ross and the analyst said the amendment funds a single FTE on a limited period and includes reporting so the legislature can judge whether to continue the role.

Representative Sue Salisbury moved that the committee report LD 590 "ought to pass as amended" with the sponsor's amendment, specifying the limited-period end date; the motion was seconded and carried by roll call. The clerk recorded nine votes in favor, one opposed, and several members absent. The committee's report will accompany the amended bill to the next stage of the legislative process.

The committee also received technical clarifications about data governance and the limits of agency data systems; Talbot Ross and staff said the state’s ongoing data-governance work will help standardize categories used across agencies.

Next steps: LD 590 was reported out of committee "ought to pass as amended;" the committee appended the recent amendment and distributed related background materials for members.