SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6327

BYSenators McCaslin, Sutherland, Saling and Thorsness; by request of Washington State Patrol

Exempting certain state patrol from the civil service.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 23, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, Patrick, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Barbara Howard (786-7410); Eugene Green (786-7405)

                  February 5, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 5, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Washington State Patrol is centrally managed at the executive level by the Chief and three bureaus headed by a bureau chief or deputy director and one agency chief of staff.  The functional areas are Chief/Legislative Relations, Field Operations, Support Services and Investigative Services.

Under the State Civil Service Act, the Patrol is currently authorized one exempt confidential secretary position, assigned to the Chief.  Exemption of the confidential secretary positions for the bureau chiefs has been requested because the positions include highly sensitive responsibilities.  Other executive agencies with statutorily exempt confidential secretaries include the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Transportation.

SUMMARY:

In addition to the confidential secretary for the Chief of the State Patrol, confidential secretaries of agency bureau chiefs or their functional equivalents and for the chief of staff are exempted from state civil service.  Each confidential secretary must meet the minimum qualifications for the class of Secretary II as determined by the State Personnel Board.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Capt. Tim Erickson, WSP (pro)