BILL REQ. #:  H-3389.1 

READ FIRST TIME 04/20/09.   

     AN ACT Relating to temporary suspension of cost-of-living increases for educational employees; amending RCW 28A.400.205, 28B.50.465, and 28B.50.468; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.400.205 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 20 s 1 are each amended 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, except for the ((2003-04)) 2009-10 and ((2004-05)) 2010-11 school years, each school district shall be provided a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to grant this cost-of-living increase.
     (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 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 statewide salary allocation schedule established under RCW 28A.150.410 and to any other salary models used to recognize school district personnel costs.
     (d) During the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 fiscal biennia, in addition to cost-of-living allocations required by (a) of this subsection, school districts shall receive additional cost-of-living allocations in equal increments such that by the end of the 2014-15 school year school district employee base salaries used with the statewide salary allocation schedule established under RCW 28A.150.410 and any other state salary models used to recognize school district personnel costs are, at a minimum, equal to what they would have been if cost-of-living allocations had not been suspended during the 2009-10 or 2010-11 school years.
     (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.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.50.465 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 20 s 3 are each amended 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 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this subsection, 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 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year except for the ((2003-04)) 2009-2010 and ((2004-05)) 2010-2011 fiscal years, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.
     (e) During the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 fiscal biennia, in addition to cost-of-living allocations required by (a) of this subsection, community and technical college districts shall receive additional cost-of-living allocations in equal increments such that, by the end of the 2014-15 academic year, average salaries of academic employees of community and technical college districts will be, at a minimum, equal to what salaries would have been if cost-of-living allocations had not been suspended during the 2009-10 or 2010-11 school years.
     (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.

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.50.468 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 20 s 4 are each amended 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 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this subsection, 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 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year except for the ((2003-2004)) 2009-2010 and ((2004-2005)) 2010-2011 fiscal years, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.
     (e) During the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 fiscal biennia, in addition to cost-of-living allocations required by (a) of this subsection, technical college districts shall receive additional cost-of-living allocations in equal increments such that, by the end of the 2014-15 academic year, average salaries of classified employees of technical college districts will be, at a minimum, equal to what salaries would have been if cost-of-living allocations had not been suspended during the 2009-10 or 2010-11 school years.
     (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   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 July 1, 2009.