BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to an annual cost-of-living increase for K-12 teachers and other school employees and for community and technical college faculty and other technical college employees; adding a new section to chapter 28A.400 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The Washington Constitution establishes "the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children." Providing quality education for all children in Washington requires well-qualified and experienced teachers and other school employees. However, salaries for educators have not kept up with the increased cost-of-living in the state. The failure to keep up with inflation threatens Washington's ability to compete with other states to attract first-rate teachers to Washington classrooms and to keep well-qualified educators from leaving for other professions. The state must provide a fair and reasonable cost-of-living increase to help ensure that the state attracts and keeps the best teachers and school employees for the children of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

(1) School district employees shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section.

(a) The cost-of-living increase shall be calculated by applying the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index to any state-funded salary base used in state funding formulas for teachers and other school district employees. Beginning with the 2001-02 school year, and for each subsequent school year, each school district shall be provided a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to grant this cost-of-living increase for the salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, of all employees of the district.

(b) A school district shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and compensation policies. No later than the end of the school year, each school district shall certify to the superintendent of public instruction that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.

(c) Any funded cost-of-living increase shall be included in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for all school employees in subsequent years. For teachers and other certificated instructional staff, the rate of the annual cost-of-living increase funded for certificated instructional staff shall be applied to the base salary used with the state-wide salary allocation schedule established under RCW 28A.150.410 and to any other salary models used to recognize school district personnel costs.

(d) Beginning with the 2001-02 school year, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase in this section as part of its obligation to meet the basic education requirements under Article IX of the Washington state Constitution.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any school year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Academic employees of community and technical college districts shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For purposes of this section, "academic employee" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.52.020.

(a) Beginning with the 2001-02 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, each college district shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase academic employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.

(b) A college district shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each college district shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.

(c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for academic employees in subsequent years.

(d) Beginning with the 2001-02 fiscal year, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any fiscal year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Classified employees of technical colleges shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For purposes of this section, "technical college" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.50.030. This section applies to only those classified employees under the jurisdiction of chapter 41.56 RCW.

(a) Beginning with the 2001-02 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, each technical college board of trustees shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase classified employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.

(b) A technical college board of trustees shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the technical college's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each technical college shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.

(c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for technical college classified employees in subsequent years.

(d) Beginning with the 2001-02 fiscal year, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.