SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6429

              As Passed Senate, February 15, 2000

Title:  An act relating to state employees' suggestion awards and incentive pay.

Brief Description:  Changing statutes that effect the productivity board.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson and Horn; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/26/2000, 1/27/2000 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/15/2000, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Haugen, Horn and Kline.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786-7405)

Background:  The Productivity Board administers the Employee Suggestion Program and the Teamwork Incentive Program.  The board is composed of:  the Secretary of State, who is the Chair; the Director of Personnel; the Director of the Office of Financial Management; the Director of General Administration; three persons with experience in administering incentives, with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives each approving one person.  The Governor=s appointee must be a representative of an employee organization, certified as an exclusive representative of at least one bargaining unit of classified employees; and one person representing state agencies and institutions with employees subject to state civil service law appointed by the Governor.  No one organization may be represented for two consecutive terms.

Other than suggestion awards and incentive pay unit awards, agencies have the authority to recognize employees, either individually or as a class, for accomplishments including outstanding achievements, safety performance, longevity, public service, or service as employee suggestion evaluators and implementors.  Recognition awards may not exceed $200 in value per award.

Summary of Bill:  The Productivity Board may also be known as the Employee Involvement and Recognition Board.

The board membership is increased by two positions:  a second person representing state agencies and institutions with employees subject to state civil service law; and one person representing those subject to state higher education personnel law.

An organization may be represented for more than one term.

Employees may be recognized for Aoutstanding@ public service.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill is strictly to make the board more recognizable and efficient and to put back on two board members who were accidently dropped in a clean-up bill last session.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Michelle Wilson, Secretary of State, Productivity Board (pro).