Read first time 02/10/2003.   Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

     AN ACT Relating to implementing the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and individual home care providers; creating a new section; making appropriations; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that the voters of the state expressed their support for home-based long-term care services through their approval of Initiative Measure No. 775 in 2001. With passage of the initiative, the state has been directed to increase the quality of state-funded long-term care services provided to elderly and disabled persons in their own homes through recruitment and training of in-home individual providers, referral of qualified individual providers to seniors and persons with disabilities seeking a provider, and stabilization of the individual provider work force. The legislature further finds that the quality of care our elders and people with disabilities receive is highly dependent upon the quality and stability of the individual provider work force, and that the demand for the services of these providers will increase as our population ages.
     (2) The legislature intends to stabilize the state-funded individual provider work force by providing funding to implement the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and the exclusive bargaining representative of individual providers. The agreement reflects the value and importance of the work done by individual providers to support the needs of elders and people with disabilities in Washington state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The sum of one hundred forty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, and the sum of one hundred forty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--federal for the biennium ending June 30, 2005, to the children and family services program of the department of social and health services. The appropriations in this section shall be used solely to implement the compensation-related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and the exclusive bargaining representative of the individual providers of home care services. The appropriations in this section shall be reduced by any amounts appropriated by the 2004 legislature for this purpose in separate legislation enacted prior to June 30, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of eight million ninety-six thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, and the sum of seven million five hundred thirty-one thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--federal for the biennium ending June 30, 2005, to the developmental disabilities program of the department of social and health services. The appropriations in this section shall be used solely to implement the compensation-related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and the exclusive bargaining representative of the individual providers of home care services. The appropriations in this section shall be reduced by any amounts appropriated by the 2004 legislature for this purpose in separate legislation enacted prior to June 30, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The sum of fourteen million two hundred seventy-nine thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, and the sum of fourteen million one hundred seventy-one thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--federal for the biennium ending June 30, 2005, to the aging and adult services program of the department of social and health services. The appropriations in this section shall be used solely to implement the compensation-related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and the exclusive bargaining representative of the individual providers of home care services. The appropriations in this section shall be reduced by any amounts appropriated by the 2004 legislature for this purpose in separate legislation enacted prior to June 30, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The sum of ninety-four thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, and the sum of one million two hundred seventy-six thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, to the home care quality authority. The appropriations in this section shall be used solely for administrative and employer relations costs associated with implementing the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the home care quality authority and the exclusive bargaining representative of the individual providers of home care services. The home care quality authority shall transfer funds from this appropriation to the department of social and health services and to the office of financial management as necessary to achieve the terms of the agreement. The appropriations in this section shall be reduced by any amounts appropriated by the 2004 legislature for this purpose in separate legislation enacted prior to June 30, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   The sum of thirteen thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, and the sum of fifty-two thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund--state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, to the office of financial management. The appropriations in this section shall be used solely for administrative and employer relations costs associated with implementing Substitute House Bill No. 2933 (home care worker collective bargaining). The appropriations in this section shall be reduced by any amounts appropriated by the 2004 legislature for this purpose in separate legislation enacted prior to June 30, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.