State employees may end up with a one-time pay bonus of $400 in the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
Senate budget committee Chairman Arthur Orr of Decatur announced he will propose the bonus when the Senate considers the state General Fund budget.
The Senate Finance and Taxation-General Fund Committee approved a General Fund budget for non-education agencies Wednesday that would spend $1.84 billion. That's $15 million more than the budget approved by the House.
The committee also approved a bill recommended by the governor that would allow him to grant a 4 percent cost-of-living raise to state employees if extra state revenue becomes available. Orr said that extra money is uncertain, and he will ask the Senate to amend that bill to add a guaranteed bonus of about $400.