JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More state workers would be eligible for timely payment of overtime under a bill given first-round House approval Wednesday, but finding the needed revenue could be a problem.

The legislation was approved by voice vote and requires a final House vote before moving to the Senate.

Rep. Bill Gratz, D-Jefferson City, sponsored the measure in response to concerns from Corrections Department workers who have not received millions of dollars in overtime because of staff shortages and a tight budget.

The bill was revised to apply overtime and compensatory standards to all eligible state workers.

While the measure authorizes overtime pay, its ultimate effect is unclear because any employee pay must be included in the state budget.

Agencies can only pay overtime if they have the money.

For example, the House version of next year's budget included more than $3 million to pay overtime to mental health workers, but that money was deleted by a Senate committee.

Overtime options

Under Gratz' bill, workers would have the option of taking overtime pay at 1 1/2 times regular pay or taking compensatory time off.

State departments would have 30 days after being contacted by an employee to process overtime pay requests. Beginning next Jan. 1, departments would have to pay all employee overtime accrued over recent years or allow employees to take time off.

"The state shouldn't be any different than the private sector," Gratz said. "If we have a person that works for us, you have to pay them. What we are doing here is long overdue."

Corrections Department workers have rallied several times at the Capitol because they have not been paid overtime or allowed time off.

But Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said the bill was vague about who actually would receive the money.

"I don't want this to apply to a department director. I don't want it to apply to assistant directors," Crowell said. An amendment added to the bill would apply the overtime provisions only to workers currently eligible for compensatory time.