Chairman Thomas told the conference committee on Senate Bill 2002 on Saturday that staff should prepare an amendment to make clear funding follows an FTE being transferred from the judicial branch to the newly created Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship.

The change matters because the bill transfers two full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) that now sit in the judicial branch: one attorney position to transfer immediately and a second FTE and related funding to transfer by April 1, 2026. Alex, a staff member, told the committee the bill as drafted moved one of the positions but did not clearly identify the funding to accompany that transfer; his office recommends adding an appropriation of roughly $355,000 to cover the salary and about half of the current operating costs associated with the guardianship monitoring program.

Alex explained the current state: “So right now in the judicial branch budget, there are 2 FTE positions relating to guardianship, and they're currently employed at by the judicial branch.” He added that one position was intended to move immediately and the other by April 1, 2026, but the bill’s language did not unambiguously place the dollars with the newly created office. The staff recommendation, presented to the committee, was to include a separate appropriation section in SB2002 that would place the funding in the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship immediately; staff estimated the appropriation at about $355,000.

Representative Hansen confirmed the second FTE transferring in July 2026 is already accommodated in Senate Bill 2029 and described the current discussion as completing a small “puzzle” of transfers begun in other legislation. Chairman Thomas then directed Alex to draft the amendment to add the appropriation language to SB2002 so the committee could consider it in a subsequent meeting.

The committee did not take a formal vote; members instructed staff to draft the language and scheduled further conferral to finalize the bill.

The committee closed its Saturday hearing and said it would reconvene on Monday to continue work on SB2002.