SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5606

As of February 13, 2003

Title: An act relating to faculty salary increments for community and technical colleges.

Brief Description: Providing a specific funding mechanism for making community and technical college faculty salary increment awards.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Horn, Poulsen, Shin, Keiser, Sheahan, Spanel, Franklin, B. Sheldon, Kline, McAuliffe and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Higher Education: 2/17/03.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Staff: Dario de la Rosa (786-7484)

Background: Salary increments are pay raises and based on years of service, and in some systems, educational attainment. In the community college system, faculty salaries, including increments are negotiated locally through collective bargaining agreements. Most negotiated salary schedules provide for increments based on some combination of years and service.

Historically, funding for community college salary increments has come from legislatively appropriated salary increases. For the past 10 years, the Legislature has provided funding for community and technical college faculty increments through provisions in the biennial budget. Additionally, the community and technical colleges have been authorized to use turnover savings or money provided for cost-of-living adjustments to fund salary increments. The 2002 supplemental budget eliminated additional funding for faculty increments for the 2002-2003 academic year.

Summary of Bill: The trustees for the community and technical colleges award salary increments based on local collective bargaining agreements. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) submits in its biennial budget request funds sufficient to cover salary increments for the community college system. The Legislature intends the faculty increment costs should be funded by appropriation, but that the appropriation should not exceed 1 and one-half percent of the faculty salary base. The SBCTC must distribute the funds in a fair and equitable manner. The SBCTC also recognizes turnover savings when distributing funds. The SBCTC convenes a task force to advise the board on the fair and equitable distribution of increment funds.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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