FINAL BILL REPORT

                     SHB 1525

                                 FULL VETO

Brief Description:  Authorizing government travel and subsistence rates for educational employees.

By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Schmidt, Peery, Wood, Brumsickle, Zellinsky, Wilson, Anderson and Neher).

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Background:  The State of Washington through the Department of General Administration has negotiated with the various airlines and car rental agencies and has obtained preferred rates for state employee travel.  The negotiated contract with the airlines applies only to state agencies and institutions of higher education.

School districts are financed with funds from federal, state, and local sources.  The school boards of each school district set their own rates of reimbursement for travel.  When school district employees are reimbursed for their travel expenses, the school districts charge the travel reimbursement expense against the program or division relating to the purpose for the travel.

Educational service districts (ESDs) are financed with funds from federal and state sources.  In addition, some programs are funded through cooperatives between a number of school districts.  The ESDs follow Office of Financial Management guidelines regarding travel reimbursement.  When ESD employees are reimbursed for their travel expenses, the travel reimbursement expenses are charged against the program or division relating to the purpose for the travel.

Summary:  In order to obtain the lower state preferred travel rates, ESDs and school districts are allowed to charge travel expenses incurred by employees and board members to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).  The travel must be funded by state dollars and  authorized by the ESDs and school districts.  The employee or board member must use the supplier giving the preferred rate.  SPI bills the ESDs and school districts for any expenses paid, and the ESDs and school districts are required to reimburse SPI.  The provisions allowing ESDs and school districts to charge travel expenses to SPI in order to obtain the benefit of the state preferred rates for travel expenses expire December 31, 1991, and are subject to savings language providing that these provisions shall not have the effect of impairing any contractual rights in effect as of the effective date of the act.

The state of Washington, through the Department of General Administration, is directed to take all reasonable and necessary action to include ESDs and school districts as direct beneficiaries of any contract negotiated by the State for preferred travel rates.

A severability clause is included which provides that the invalidity of any provision or its application to any person or circumstance does not affect the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 98    0

Senate   46    0     (Senate amended)

House 93    0     (House   concurred)

Effective:     July 28, 1991

FULL VETO (See VETO MESSAGE)