SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 6354

              As Passed Senate, February 15, 2000

Title:  An act relating to contracting for services performed by classified employees.

Brief Description:  Contracting for services performed by classified employees.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Kline, Franklin, Wojahn, Fairley, Kohl‑Welles, Prentice and Costa).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  1/26/2000, 2/3/2000 [DPS, DNP].

Passed Senate, 2/15/2000, 39-9.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6354 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Eide, Vice Chair; Bauer, Benton, Brown, Hochstatter, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senators Finkbeiner and Swecker.

Staff:  Vanessa Power (786-7448)

Background:  Currently, when a school district contracts out work previously performed by classified employees, the contractor must provide health benefits to their employees.  The health benefits must be similar to health benefits provided to school employees that would otherwise perform the work.  Benefits vary by school district and contract.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction collects school district employee data annually.  Data include employee program assignment, duties, average salary, and benefits.

Summary of Bill:  School districts must provide information on contracted employees, who provide services previously performed by classified employees, to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  Information includes the same data collected annually on school district employees.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 25, 2000.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Contracting out is not effective in public education.  Contracted-out employees are not subject to background checks.  The denial of retirement benefits to employees of private businesses receiving taxpayer money is a flawed state policy.  When services are contracted out to private employers, contracts change and benefits to employees suffer.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Doug Nelson, Public School Employees of Washington; David Westberg, Stationary Engineers; Angela Withers, Public School Employees of Washington; Allen Lieske, Public School Employees of Washington; Jean Moffatt, Public School Employees of Washington.