SB 5459

SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5459

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Transportation, January 29, 2007

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5459 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Marr, Vice Chair; Murray, Vice Chair; Swecker, Ranking Minority Member; Clements, Delvin, Holmquist, Jacobsen, Kastama, Kilmer, Sheldon and Spanel.

Background: The Washington State Patrol assigns troopers to patrol duty within geographically defined districts. Subject to certain restrictions, a trooper may request an inter-district transfer. The Human Resource Division of the Washington State Patrol ranks transfer requests for each working location according to the date and time that the request was submitted. Certain districts routinely experience relatively higher rates of troopers requesting to transfer to another district. In such districts, newly commissioned troopers are often assigned to fill vacancies created as more experienced troopers transfer to other districts.

Troopers trained by the Washington State Patrol are often regarded as desirable job candidates by other law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Many local law enforcement agencies offer higher wages than the Washington State Patrol.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED SUBSTITUTE AS PASSED COMMITTEE (Transportation): An individual who completes trooper basic training after January 1, 2007, and serves a continuous commission with the Washington State Patrol of at least four years is eligible to receive a one-time bonus of $5,000.

The bonus is subject to the discretion of the Chief of the Washington State Patrol, and the availability of funds appropriated specifically for the bonus payment. The bonus is not included as salary for purposes of pension calculations, disability benefits, or retirement benefits.

The bonus is not available to a trooper who, within the first four years of the trooper's commission: (1) accepts a specialty position; or (2) accepts a transfer granted at the trooper's request, unless: (a) the transfer is a hardship or intra-district transfer; or (b) the transfer is a condition of an offer of promotion within the Washington State Patrol.

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