FY 2016 Appropriation

The Legislature represents the citizens of the State of Utah. It establishes Utah's laws and sets the State's budget. The Legislature consists of 104 elected officials - 75 members of the House of Representatives and 29 Senators.

Funding History

Funding Issues

Dedicated Credits Increase - Leg Printing

Legislative Printing is collecting more revenue from sales of publications and printing services. The increase is primarily due to ordering publications for the Courts. This necessitates an increase in appropriation in order for the agency to use all of the collections.

LRGC Budget Needs

No Description

Reallocation to Executive Branch Ethics Commission

The Legislature has appropriated $50,000 to each of three ethics commissions as a nonlapsing reserve in case an investigation is needed. All funding has been appropriated to the Legislature (half to the Senate, half to the House). Since administration of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission is in the Department of Administrative Services, $50,000 needs to be reallocated from the Legislature ($25,000 from Senate, $25,000 from House) to DAS.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $26,153,100 from all sources for Legislature. This is a 7.8 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $25,701,600 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 7.1 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Capitol Building Fire Code Compliance$0 ($590,000)
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0 ($790,000)General Fund, One-time
$0$200,000Closing Nonlapsing
The House Majority Caucus Room is insufficient to accommodate all caucus members and staff without violating fire code. Other configuration issues exist in the Senate. This appropriaiton shifts resources from the Legislature to the Capitol Preservation Board to cover costs of space reconfiguration.
Children's Land Alliance$0$5,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$5,000General Fund, One-time
No Description
Dedicated Credits Increase - Leg Printing$75,000$75,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$75,000$75,000Dedicated Credits Revenue
Legislative Printing is collecting more revenue from sales of publications and printing services. The increase is primarily due to ordering publications for the Courts. This necessitates an increase in appropriation in order for the agency to use all of the collections.
Education/Charter School Task Force$0$72,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$72,000General Fund, One-time
Funding to continue the Health Reform Task Force for one more year.
Federal Funds Commission Extension$54,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$54,000$0General Fund
Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue. This bill appropriates $54,000 ongoing beginning in FY 2016 from the General Fund to legislative offices for costs associated with conducting business of the Federal Funds Commission as outlined in the bill.
House of Representatives$0$200,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$200,000General Fund, One-time
No Description
Joint Resolution Authorizing Pay of In-session Employees$4,200$4,200
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$4,200$0General Fund
$0$4,200General Fund, One-time
Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue. Enactment of this legislation could cost the Legislature $4,200 from the General Fund beginning in FY 2015 for compensation changes to in-session employees. These costs could be absorbed within existing budgets.
Joint Rules Resolution Providing for Reimbursement for Legislative Training Days$70,000$70,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$70,000$0General Fund
$0$70,000General Fund, One-time
Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue. Enactment of this legislation could cost the Legislature $70,000 annually from the General Fund beginning in FY 2015 for authorized legislative training days. This cost would be $20,000 for the Senate and $50,000 for the House of Representatives.
Legislative Staff Compensation$540,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$540,000$0General Fund
Equivalent to 1% COLA for all legislative staff (including House and Senate full time staff) to retain high performers. The EAC requested an estimate of what would be necessary to significantly reward high performers. The estimate is $537,000: $300,000 LRGC $125,000 LAG $112,000 LFA An additional amount provided to Senate and House staff as a reallocation from Legislative Services: $37,500 Senate $37,500 House
LRGC Funding Issues$400,000$297,600
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$400,000$0General Fund
$0$297,600General Fund, One-time
No Description
Reallocation to Executive Branch Ethics Commission$0 ($50,000)
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0 ($50,000)General Fund, One-time
The Legislature has appropriated $50,000 to each of three ethics commissions as a nonlapsing reserve in case an investigation is needed. All funding has been appropriated to the Legislature (half to the Senate, half to the House). Since administration of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission is in the Department of Administrative Services, $50,000 needs to be reallocated from the Legislature ($25,000 from Senate, $25,000 from House) to DAS.
School Safety and Crisis Line ($1,600)$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
($1,600)$0General Fund
Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue. Enactment of this bill appropriates $150,000 ongoing and $150,000 one-time from the Education Fund to the University of Utah - University Neuropsychiatric Institute to implement the School Safety and Crisis Line as outlined in the bill. Enactment of the bill could reduce costs for the Legislature by $1,600 per year for fewer legislators serving on the commission.
Staff Analysis

Prior Year Budget Changes:

During the 2014 G.S. the Legislature made several budget adjustments as a result of changes to task forces, commissions, and compensation. Other budget changes included:

  • Constituent Services - $1 million ongoing (half each to Senate and House)
  • Special Investigation of Former Attorney General - $4,000,000 one-time ($55,000 to House and $3,945,000 to Legislative Services line item
  • Federal Funds Commission - Professional Contingency Planning - $350,000 one-time (to LRGC)
  • Continuing Education on Federalism - $30,000 one-time (to LRGC)

During the 2013 G.S. the Legislature made the following selected changes:

  • Created the Legislative Services line item to cover shared legislative costs
  • Current Expenses Increases - $33,000 ongoing plus $353,000 one-time (to LRGC)

The following are performance measures tracked within this organization.

Statute

The Legislature is established in the Utah Constitution.

The Legislature is also governed by certain sections of Utah code.

  • Title 36 further delineates legislative organization and authority.
  • The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel is authorized in UCA 36-12-12.
  • The Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst is established in UCA 36-12-13.
  • The Office of the Legislative Auditor General is empowered in UCA 36-12-15.

The Legislature employs about 125 professional, policy, and support staff, including those in the nonpartisan offices of the Legislative Auditor General, the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Legislative Printing, and Legislative Research and General Counsel. Temporary staff hired during the General Session account for another 15 or so full time equivalent (FTE) employees when their combined time worked is normalized over an entire year.

Legislative staff office budgets are reviewed and approved by the Subcommittee on Oversight each fall. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House then certify to the Governor the budget for the entire Legislative Department. As the Legislature is a separate branch of Government, the Governor must include in his/her budget recommendations the Legislature's certified budget without revision (UCA 63J-1-201).

Annual appropriations for the Legislature are considered in the Executive Appropriations Committee. Like any other department of state government, ultimate spending authority must be provided in an appropriations act passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

Intent Language

SB0002: Item 186

The Legislature intends that the Legislative Management Committee study by its October 2015 interim meeting the long term viability of the State Fairpark in its current location.

Nearly all of the Legislature's operating budget is from General Fund appropriations. The Legislative Printing Office and Bill Room generate some dedicated credits revenue from sale of goods and services. Per UCA 63J-1-602.1(1), the Legislature's budget does not lapse at the end of a fiscal year.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.