Joint Finance Committee Approves Raises for State Workers & Retirees and More…
The Joint Finance Committee, which is charged with crafting Delaware’s operating budget, has approved raises for state workers and retirees. This is the first day of mark-up – when the committee takes the Governor’s recommended budget and begins to vote on specific funding requests – essentially writing the budget. The plan approved by the committee today would have full-time state workers receiving a raise ranging from 3% to 9% – depending on their pay grade – the lowest grades receiving high-percentage raises. The JFC also approved a recommendation from the Governor establishing a $15 minimum wage for merit full-time state employees. Raises still need to be voted on by the full General Assembly as part of the FY 2024 Budget.
Additional information from Delaware House Democratic Caucus:
Collective bargaining units would receive raises according to whatever they have negotiated. Education employees would receive a 3% raise and applicable step increases, while teachers would receive an additional 6%.
As with many private businesses, state government has experienced significant vacancies, and concerns about hiring and retention have been raised. Whether it’s educators, emergency personnel, social workers, medical staff or first responders, ensuring that these state workers receive a needed pay raise has been a priority. The average state employee salary is $52,033 per year and under this plan, they would receive a 6% increase.
Also, as part of the pay policy package approved Tuesday, JFC approved a recommendation from Governor Carney establishing a $15 minimum wage for merit full-time state employees.
This is the second consecutive year that the Joint Finance Committee has approved a sliding scale pay raise for state workers, with the fiscal 2023 budget including raises ranging from 2%-9%.
The Joint Finance Committee will continue reviewing and voting on funding priorities for the fiscal 2023 operating budget this week. Once completed, legislative budget staff will write the final budget bill, which must be approved by the entire General Assembly.
Funding for Legal Marijuana Regulation
Delaware’s Joint Finance committee has begun the mark-up process – the crafting of the FY 2024 budget. On its first day, the JFC has approved funding for House Bill 2 – the regulatory component of the State’s legal marijuana industry. The JFC approved $4.1-million in funding to get the operation running, but only $2.2-million is expected to be ongoing, recurring funding. $1.9-million is one-time costs. HB 2 also includes a new framework for directing some of the state proceeds from sales and licensing to justice reform efforts. The final budget bill still must be approved by the full General Assembly by midnight on June 30th.
Additional information from the Delaware House Democratic Caucus:
Last month, legislation making Delaware the latest state to legalize and regulate adult recreational marijuana became law. Included in that two-bill package was a measure that will regulate and tax marijuana in the same manner as alcohol.
House Bill 2 would allow adults 21 and older to purchase a personal use quantity of marijuana from a licensed retail marijuana store. Under the law, the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (DATE) will absorb marijuana enforcement and create a separate, administrative Office of Marijuana Control Commissioner within the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
House Bill 2 creates a legal framework to regulate the cultivation, sale and possession of marijuana, provide opportunities for small businesses to be licensed, and ensure people living in areas disproportionately affected by the prohibition of marijuana have equal access to this new market. The bill also contains a new framework for directing some of the state proceeds from sales and licensing to justice reform efforts.
A companion bill, House Bill 1, removes all penalties for possession of a personal use quantity of marijuana, except for those who are under 21 years of age. Possession of more than a personal use quantity of marijuana and public consumption remain unclassified misdemeanors.
Under the new marijuana law, up to 30 retail licenses will be issued within 16 months of the bill’s effective date. It also establishes a marijuana control enforcement fee assessed at point of sale, set at 15%.
Currently, recreational marijuana use is permitted in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Nearby states Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and New York also have legalized adult recreational cannabis.
