FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6583

                         PARTIAL VETO

                          C 120 L 96

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Clarifying eligibility requirements for state‑funded benefits for part‑time academic employees of community and technical colleges.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Spanel, Bauer, Kohl, McAuliffe, Winsley, Rinehart and Smith).

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Higher Education

House Committee on Appropriations

Background:  State employees who work more than one-half time are eligible for state health benefits.  Part-time community college faculty receive different benefits at different institutions because there is not a uniform method for calculating part-time work loads.  Additionally, there are some institutions where part-time faculty do not receive any benefits.

Summary:  Definitions are created for the purposes of determining eligibility of state-mandated insurance and retirement benefits for part-time academic employees in community and technical colleges.  Community and technical colleges must report to the appropriate agencies the hours worked by part-time academic employees as a ratio of the part-time academic work load to the full-time academic work load in a given discipline in a given institution.

A task force is created to conduct a best practices audit of compensation packages and benefits for part-time faculty in the community and technical college system.  The task force must include members of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, part-time faculty, full-time faculty, and governing board members.  The task force must focus on the treatment of part-time faculty.  The task force must report its findings to the state board and other interested parties by August 30, 1996.  By September 30, 1996, the state board must adopt a set of best practices principles.

Partial Veto Summary:  The emergency clause is eliminated.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    46 3

House     91 0 (House amended)

Senate    43 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  June 6, 1996