HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No.  SB 5233

Exempting specified positions within the department of corrections from civil service laws.

Brief Title                              Hearing Date: 3/30/99

Senators Patterson, Horn, and  McCaslin Staff:  Scott MacColl

Sponsor(s)                          State Government Committee

                                              Phone:  786-7106

BACKGROUND:

Personnel in state government fall under the civil service system except those specifically exempted in statute.  Currently, in each agency with fifty or more employees, the deputy agency heads, assistant directors or division directors, and not more than three principal policy assistants who report directly to the agency head or deputy agency head are exempt.  

In addition, within the Department of Corrections, the civil service provisions do not apply to the secretary, the secretary=s personal secretary, the deputy secretary, all division directors and assistant directors, all facility superintendents and associate superintendents for facilities with resident capacity of fifty or more, and all management and sales staff of correctional industries.  Currently, personal secretaries to the deputy secretary, assistant deputy secretaries, and all regional administrators and program administrators are part of the civil service system.

SUMMARY:

The civil service exemptions for the Department of Corrections is altered to include personal secretaries to the deputy secretary, assistant deputy secretaries, and all regional administrators and program administrators.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.