FINAL BILL REPORT
SB 5199
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
C 280 L 19
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Granting certain correctional employees binding interest arbitration.
Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Conway, McCoy, Hunt, Das, Saldaña, Wilson, C., Hasegawa and Van De Wege.
Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce
House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards
House Committee on Appropriations
Background: The Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act. Employees of cities, counties, and other political subdivisions of the state bargain their wages and working conditions under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). For certain uniformed personnel, the PECBA requires binding interest arbitration if negotiations for a contract reach impasse and cannot be resolved through mediation. Under interest arbitration, an impartial third-party makes decisions regarding the unresolved terms of the contract.
Uniformed personnel include, among others:
firefighters;
law enforcement officers in cities and counties of a certain size;
general authority peace officers and firefighters employed by certain port districts;
certain correctional employees of jails in counties with populations of 70,000 or more;
security forces at nuclear power plants; and
Washington State Patrol officers.
Regional Jails. Two or more local governments, or one or more local governments and the state, may create and operate regional jails. Regional jails may be governed by representatives from multiple jurisdictions in compliance with the Interlocal Cooperation Act.
Summary: The following correctional employees are added to the definition of uniformed personnel and granted interest arbitration under PECBA:
employees of a regional jail who are trained for and charged with the responsibility of controlling and maintaining custody of inmates in the jail and safeguarding inmates from other inmates; and
employees of a juvenile detention center located in a county with a population over 1,500,000 who who are trained for and charged with the responsibility of controlling and maintaining custody of inmates in the jail and safeguarding inmates from other inmates.
Votes on Final Passage:
Senate | 47 | 0 | |
House | 75 | 20 |
Effective: | July 28, 2019 |