House and Senate leaders finally released a state budget that included big changes and money for employees.

The new Department of Adult Correction is established in this budget as a single, unified cabinet-level department. All functions, powers, and duties in the following divisions will be transferred into the new agency:

• Prisons
• Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Treatment Centers
• Health Services
• Correction Enterprises
• Community Corrections (Probation/Parole)

These step pay plans for Correctional Officers and Probation/Parole Officers are also included. The legislature plans to put all of Corrections into the plan next session.

Other DPS and correctional employees not covered in the new pay plans will receive a 5% pay increase over two years -- 2.5% each year. All employees will receive a $1000 bonus, and an employee meeting at least one of the following criteria will receive an additional $500 bonus:

• Earn less than $75,000 annually
• Law Enforcement Officers
• Employees in DPS, Adult Corrections, and Probation/Parole who have frequent in-person contact

The budget includes community college tuition waivers for employees who are required to be certified under the Criminal Justice and Training Standards Commission.

It also includes a provision that grants free tuition to a UNC-System school to any spouse or child of a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker killed or permanently disabled as a direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty

The compromise budget will be passed by the General Assembly this week and Governor Cooper has committed to signing upon passage.