SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 90

BYHouse Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Belcher, H. Sommers, Hankins, Vekich, Day, Dellwo, Holm, Unsoeld, Meyers, Wang, P. King and Winsley; by request of Office of Financial Management)

Regulating payment of state employee moving expenses.

House Committe on State Government

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 23, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass and refer to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Zimmerman, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, Garrett.

Senate Staff:Barbara Howard (786-7410)

                  February 24, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, FEBRUARY 23, 1988

BACKGROUND:

State law authorizes agencies to pay the costs of moving an employee's goods and effects to a new location.  The Office of Financial Management has established rules and guidelines for payment of moving expenses.  They include payment for moving 10,000 pounds of goods, and payment for an employee's one-way trip to the new location.

SUMMARY:

Specific criteria are established for the payment of employee moving expenses when an employee is transferred to another work location.

A state agency may pay the moving expenses of an employee who has completed 6 consecutive months of employment with any state agency or who is a new employee and is required to travel a specified distance to the new place of employment.

Moving expenses include travel to the new location to find a residence and for the move itself, cost of moving the employee's goods, and costs of moving a mobile home, settling a lease or closing the sale of the old residence.  The total of all moving expenses may not exceed $10,000.  Existing employees may receive up to five days paid leave to find a residence and move to it.

A household is not eligible for payment of subsequent moving expenses for a period of two years.  An agency may require reimbursement of moving expenses if the employee terminates employment within one year of the start of work at the new location.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 8, 1988

Senate Committee - Testified: No one