SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6354

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                  Education, February 3, 2000

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

Brief Description:  Contracting for services performed by classified employees.

Sponsors:  Senators Kline, Franklin, Wojahn, Fairley, Kohl‑Welles, Prentice and Costa.

Brief History:

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

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 Substitute Bill:  Contractors must provide information on their employees to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  Information includes the same data collected annually on school district employees.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The bill is amended to remove retirement benefits from the benefits a contractor must provide its employees when a school district contracts out work previously performed by classified employees.  The bill is amended to require that contractors provide health benefits "similar to" those provided by school employees who would otherwise do the work.

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.