The Senate has changed its stand on the pay plan for state employees for the 2019-2021 biennium.
The Senate originally proposed 2 percent raises in the first year, and three percent the second year. The House was at a 2 and 2 plan. But the House changed, to 2 percent the first year, and 2 and a half percent the second year. That’s the plan the Senate has now adopted.
Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Ray Holmberg (R-Grand Forks) told the Senate that in the first year, state employees would receive a minimum $120 per month raise, and a maximum of $200 a month.
"All state employees earning less than $72,000 will receive $120, rather than a 2 percent increase," Holmberg said. "That means 75.7% of our state employees will have more than 2 percent."
Senate Democrats had pushed for a 3 and 3 plan. But Senate Minority Leader Joan Heckaman (D-New Rockford) said she would support the proposal.
"It'll give our state employees a little bit of an increase in salary that they haven't seen in the past few years," Heckaman said. "While we would have liked to see 3 in the second year, the entire package here is good."
The Senate passed the pay plan as a part of the Indian Affairs Commission budget 46 to 1. This plan will now be added to all state budgets on the Senate side.
