Trooper Pay Boost Bill Advances Through House Committee

By Daniel Stefanski |

A significant legislative proposal aimed at enhancing support for Arizona State law enforcement officers has successfully cleared its initial legislative hurdle. On Monday, the Arizona House Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement voted in favor of HB 2386, a bill designed to establish a pay parity system for Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers. This initiative seeks to ensure that their compensation remains competitive with that of the state’s largest county and municipal law enforcement agencies.

State Representative David Marshall, the bill’s sponsor, expressed strong support for the measure. “Our Troopers put their lives on the line every day to keep our highways safe, combat drug trafficking, and take violent criminals off the streets,” he stated. Marshall emphasized that HB 2386 is crucial for maintaining fair and competitive pay for DPS officers to prevent the loss of highly trained personnel due to pay disparities.

He further remarked, “This bill is about standing with our Troopers and making sure they have the support they need to do their jobs effectively. If we’re serious about protecting public safety, then we need to be serious about taking care of those who serve and protect us.”

The committee’s approval came with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 13-0, with some Democrats opting to vote “present.” The proposed legislation mandates that DPS establish annual pay benchmarks based on the salaries and benefits of law enforcement agencies in Arizona’s three largest counties. According to information from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill will utilize funds from the Parity Compensation Fund to maintain competitive salaries without burdening the state’s general fund.

Support for HB 2386 was evident, as representatives from the Arizona State Troopers Association, the Fraternal Order of Police (Arizona State Lodge), and the Arizona Police Association voiced their approval during the House Committee meeting. However, a representative from the Arizona National Organization for Women expressed opposition to the proposal.

HB 2386 now waits for an up-or-down vote from the full Arizona House of Representatives.