NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.

Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Administrative Office of the Courts

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 6 declares an emergency for the public peace, health and safety to increase the salaries of district attorneys for FY2000. For FY2000, the bill provides salaries of seventy-three thousand seven hundred seventy-eight dollars ($73,778) for district attorneys serving districts with non-class A counties. The bill also provides salaries of seventy-seven thousand six hundred sixty-one dollars ($77,661) for district attorneys serving districts with class A counties (i.e., counties with populations of one hundred thousand persons or more).

Significant Issues

According to AODA, HB6 basically provides for a five percent salary increase for district attorneys, who have not received pay increases since FY96. It also includes language similar to the statute for district judges which does not require an amendment to the salary statute every time increases are to be considered.

For FY99, the combined annual salary/benefits for the district attorneys is one million and thirty-two thousand two-hundred twenty-two dollars ($1,032,222). Salaries amount to $991,106 and benefits total $41,116. HB6 would raise the FY2000 combined salary/benefits for the district attorneys to one million and ninety-four thousand two-hundred eighty-four dollars ($1,094,284). Salaries would amount to $1,040,658, while benefits total $53,626. For FY2000, the general fund would increase by a total of $62,062.

HB6 establishes that for FY2001 and all subsequent fiscal years, the annual salary for the district attorneys shall be established by the legislature in an appropriation act. However, the bill does not address possible costs for FY2001 and outlying years when the district attorney salaries would be established by the legislature in the appropriation act.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

HB6 does not contain an appropriation, however, the aggregate salary and benefits for district attorneys will rise by $62,062 in FY2000.

SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

HB6 does not contain an appropriation, which was one of the items mentioned in the governor's veto message of HB318, the DA Salary Increase bill which was introduced during the 60 day session.

ALTERNATIVES

According to AODA, one alternative is add an appropriation for $62,062 or increase the amount to reflect a percentage which takes into account the 4 years in which district attorneys have received no salary increase.

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The district attorneys will begin another fiscal year without any type of salary increase since FY96.

RP/gm