H-1293.3                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1939

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Hansen, Chandler, Vance, Campbell, Sheldon, Brough, Horn, Schoesler, Roland, Miller, Long, Edmondson, Morton and Dyer

Read first time 02/17/93.  Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

Freezing state government hiring.

          AN ACT Relating to a hiring freeze within state government; creating a new section; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1)(a) Except under subsection (2) of this section, the number of employees employed by each agency of state government shall not exceed the actual employment level of the agency on July 1, 1993, for all employee positions paid for, in full or in part, with funds from the state general fund.

          (b) Except under subsection (2) of this section, beginning July 1, 1993, each agency of state government is prohibited from hiring replacements for employees who leave the agency regardless of the reason.  This prohibition attaches to all employee positions paid for, in full or in part, with funds from the state general fund.

          (2) The only exceptions to subsection (1) of this section are as follows:

          (a) Positions that through vendor charge-outs recover funds back into the state general fund that more than offset the cost of the positions;

          (b) Service positions within correctional facilities and state hospitals that are necessary to maintain full security or service levels.  Service positions include corrections guards and nurses, but do not include any management positions; and

          (c) Positions that the governor, and not the governor's designee, declares necessary for the continuation of essential public services.  The governor must make a separate declaration for each exception.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act expires on June 30, 1995.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993.

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