Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
State Government

HB 1421

Brief Description:  Consolidating personnel management functions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Romero, D. Schmidt, Ogden, Kenney and Miloscia.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Consolidates the Department of Personnel and the Department of Retirement Systems into one agency to be known as the Department of Human Resources.

Hearing Date:  2/5/01

Staff:  Catherine Blinn (786‑7114).

Background: 

The Department of Personnel (DOP) is a separate state agency governed by the Washington personnel resources board and administered by a director.  The department is responsible for administering the state civil service system.  The director of the DOP is appointed by the Governor and is responsible for directing and supervising all administrative and technical activities of the department.

The Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) is a separate state department responsible for the public employees' retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system, the State Patrol retirement system, the judicial retirement system, the school employees' retirement system, and the deferred compensation program.  The director of the DRS is appointed by the Governor and is responsible for supervising and managing these various retirement systems.

Summary of Bill: 

The departments of Personnel and Retirement Systems are consolidated into one agency known as the Department of Human Resources (DHR).  The powers, duties, and functions of the DOP and the DRS are transferred to the DHR.  Likewise, the powers and duties of the directors of the DOP and the DRS are transferred to one director of the DHR.  The director and other designated employees of the DHR are exempt from the state civil service law.  The director of the DHR is appointed by the Governor.

The directors of the DOP and the DRS shall, by December 1, 2001, jointly submit a plan to the governor for consolidation and smooth transition of both departments into the DHR, including recommendations for further statutory changes necessary to implement the consolidated agency.

Rulemaking Authority:  No express authority.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on July 1, 2002.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.