The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to amend the Insurance Department’s budget to add personnel and salary equity funding and folded the Securities Department appropriation into the insurance account. Separately the committee recommended a do‑not‑pass on the standalone securities budget bill as written, reflecting that merger.

What the committee approved
Senator Sickler, presenting the insurance budget, said the panel added one attorney FTE for the office, included $350,000 in salary‑equity funding to bring selected attorneys closer to comparable state pay, added funding for overtime and accrued leave payouts for the fire marshal, and folded the existing Securities Department appropriation and its 10 FTEs into the Insurance Department budget. The subdivision kept the full securities budget amount and moved it under the insurance commissioner’s appropriation to preserve staffing and program continuity while the agencies merge.

Debate and dissent
Senator Dwyer voiced opposition to transferring the entire securities budget without identifying efficiencies first, saying the committee should require the merged office to demonstrate savings or staffing consolidation before moving all 10 positions and their funding. ‘‘I just felt like there should be some efficiencies on the front end rather than just transferring it,’’ Dwyer said, noting the newly appointed securities commissioner had limited time to implement reforms.

Votes and procedural outcome
- Insurance budget amendment (includes one attorney FTE, $350,000 salary equity funding, fire marshal overtime and folding the securities budget into insurance): amendment passed (committee vote recorded 12‑2‑2). Motion for due pass as amended on 10‑10: passed (committee vote recorded 14‑0‑2).
- Motion for do not pass on 10‑11 (standalone securities budget): moved and seconded; committee recorded a do‑not‑pass recommendation (vote recorded 14‑0‑2).

Ending: Senator Sickler will carry the amended insurance budget to the floor. The committee’s do‑not‑pass on the standalone securities bill reflects that the securities appropriation was incorporated into the insurance budget in committee action.