A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation to the legislative assembly for hiring temporary legislative assistants; to provide for an analysis of capitol office space; and to provide for a report to the legislative management.
Summary
HB 1532 would appropriate $3.3 million from the state general fund for the 2025-2027 biennium to support temporary legislative assistants for individual legislators during legislative sessions. The bill is aimed at helping lawmakers hire short-term staff to assist with session workload, effectively creating a state-funded pool of temporary legislative support.
In addition to the appropriation, the bill directs the Office of Management and Budget to analyze office space in the Capitol and judicial wing. That analysis would identify excess space tied to hybrid and remote work trends, recommend consolidation of executive branch office space, suggest hoteling options, and evaluate ways to reduce meeting and conference room space. The report would also recommend where temporary legislative assistants should be located and must be delivered to Legislative Management by August 15, 2026.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new appropriation to the legislative branch budget and authorize spending for temporary legislative assistants during the 2025-2027 biennium. It would also require the Office of Management and Budget to conduct a Capitol space utilization review and produce recommendations that could affect executive branch office assignments, shared workspace practices, and the use of Capitol meeting space. The bill would not directly amend substantive regulatory statutes, but it would influence legislative operations, state office-space planning, and future budget and facilities decisions.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have faced clear opposition in the House, where it failed on second reading by a vote of 29-64 on February 12, 2025. With no committee transcripts available, the recorded vote is the main indicator of sentiment, and it suggests limited support for the appropriation and related office-space study. The failure indicates that a majority of representatives were not persuaded to advance the measure.
Contention
The likely points of contention were the size and purpose of the $3.3 million appropriation and whether state funds should be used to subsidize temporary staff for legislators. Another possible area of disagreement was the broader office-space analysis, including recommendations to consolidate agency space, expand hoteling, and reduce meeting-room usage in the Capitol. Supporters likely viewed the bill as a staffing and efficiency measure, while opponents likely questioned the cost, necessity, and scope of the proposal.