HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HCR 4429

Jt. Task Force/Managed Competition                   Hrg Date:  2/6/98

Brief Title

Reps. D. Schmidt/Wolfe                                    Staff Contact: S. Lundin

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7127

BACKGROUND:

State agencies and local governments may contract for the provision of services, maintenance, and public works or have their employees provide these services, maintenance, and public works.  Many governments are restricted by Aday labor@ limits on the maximum value of public works projects that may be performed by their employees.

State law establishes civil service systems of employment for most state employees, as well as employees of county sheriffs= offices, city police offices, city fire departments, and fire protection districts.  The supreme court held in State Employees v. Community College, 90 Wn.2d 698 (1978), that state civil service laws preclude a state agency from contracting for the performance of new services of a type ordinarily provided and capable of being provided by classified civil service employees.  Legislation was enacted in 1979 somewhat overriding this decision by authorizing a state agency or institution of higher education to contract for services, if the agency regularly purchased these services by contract prior to the date of the supreme court decision.

SUMMARY:

The Joint Task Force on Managed Competition and Quality Initiatives for Government Services is created composed of 13 voting members.  Membership on the task force is allocated as follows:

oFour members of the task force are members are legislators, two of whom are members of the House of Representatives, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by Speaker of the House of Representatives, and two of whom are members of the Senate, one from each of the two largest caucuses, appointed by the President of the Senate.

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HCR 4429 - Page 2

oOne member of the task force is appointed by the Governor.

oThree members of the task force are appointed by labor organizations, one by the Washington Federation of State Employees, one by the Washington Public Employee Association, and one by the Washington State Council of County and City Employees.

oTwo members of the task force are appointed by local government associations, one by the Association of Washington Cities and the other by the Washington State Association of Counties.

oThree members of the task force are appointed by the Association of Washington Business.

The task force chooses two co-chairs, one senator and one state representative, who are from opposite parties.  Nonvoting experts and advisors may be appointed to the task force.  Staff of the Senate Research Services and Office of Program Research of the House of Representatives provide staff support to the task force.

The task force is created to prepare a comprehensive study of providing government services using managed competition, quality and efficiency programs from the public and private sectors, and alternate financing for government services.  A final report must be submitted to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2000, when the task force is dissolved.  Any finding or recommendation must be approved by at least seven members.  Minority findings and recommendations may be adopted.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.