Committee advances legislative branch budget bill; sponsors cite flat compensation and rising benefit costs

Sponsors presented House Bill 13 33 as the annual operating budget for the General Assembly and legislative service agencies. The Majority Leader said the package supports about 500 employees (450.6 FTE) and reflects agency-level budget requests developed by directors and approved by oversight committees with bipartisan support.

Madam Speaker emphasized that the budget keeps compensation flat and that the principal driver of the net increase is benefits costs. “Those costs make up 74% of the year to year increase from last year,” she said, and sponsors noted they trimmed operating and travel expenses, reduced some dues and sought other cuts to limit the increase.

There was no public testimony. The committee voted 11–0 to move the bill to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation. Sponsors and staff said the legislative budget is intentionally presented separate from the executive branch long bill to preserve legislative independence.

The bill will proceed to further consideration on the floor after referral.