AN ACT Relating to transfer of county sheriff's office employees; amending RCW 41.12.050; and adding new sections to chapter 35.13 RCW.

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

Sec. 1. Section 4, chapter 13, Laws of 1937 as amended by section 2, chapter 339, Laws of 1987 and RCW 41.12.050 are each amended to read as follows:

The classified civil service and provisions of this chapter shall include all full paid employees of the police department of each city, town or municipality coming within its purview, except that individuals appointed as police chief after July 1, 1987, to a department with six or more commissioned officers, including the police chief, may be excluded by the legislative body of the city, town or municipality. All appointments to and promotions in said department shall be made solely on merit, efficiency and fitness except as provided in sections 2 through 6 of this act, which shall be ascertained by open competitive examination and impartial investigation. No person shall be reinstated in or transferred, suspended or discharged from any such place, position or employment contrary to the provisions of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. It is the purpose of sections 2 through 6 of this act to require the lateral transfer of any county sheriff's employee who, by reason of annexation or incorporation of an unincorporated area of a county, will or is likely to be laid off due to sheriff's department cutbacks resulting from the loss of the unincorporated law enforcement responsibility.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. When any portion of an unincorporated area of a county is to be annexed or incorporated into a city, code city, or town, any employee of the sheriff's office of the county may transfer his or her employment to the police department of the city, code city, or town as provided in sections 2 through 6 of this act if the employee: (1) Was, at the time the annexation or incorporation occurred, employed exclusively or principally in performing the powers, duties, and functions of the county sheriff's office; (2) will, as a direct consequence of the annexation or incorporation, be separated from the employ of the county; and (3) meets the minimum standards and qualifications of the police department of the city, code city, or town.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) An eligible employee under section 3 of this act may transfer into the civil service system for the police department by filing a written request with the civil service commission of the affected city, code city, or town and by giving written notice thereof to the legislative authority of the county. Upon receipt of such request by the civil service commission the transfer shall be made. The employee so transferring will: (a) Be on probation for the same period as are new employees of the police department; (b) be eligible for promotion after completion of the probationary period; (c) receive a salary at least equal to that of other new employees of the police department; and (d) in all other matters, such as retirement and vacation, have, within the civil service system, all the rights, benefits, and privileges that the employee would have been entitled to had he or she been a member of the police department from the beginning of his or her employment with the county. The county shall, upon receipt of such notice, transmit to the civil service commission a record of the employee's service with the county which shall be credited to the employee as a part of his or her period of employment in the police department.

(2) Only as many of the transferring employees shall be placed upon the payroll of the police department as the city, code city, or town determines are needed to provide an adequate level of law enforcement service. The needed employees shall be taken in order of seniority and the remaining employees who transfer as provided in sections 2 through 6 of this act shall head the list of their respective class or job listing in the civil service system in order of their seniority, so that they shall be the first to be employed in the police department as vacancies become available.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. In addition to its other duties prescribed by law, the civil service commission shall make rules necessary to provide for the orderly integration of employees of a county sheriff's office to the police department of the city, code city, or town pursuant to sections 2 through 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. When any portion of an unincorporated area of a county is to be annexed or incorporated into a city, code city, or town and layoffs will result in the county sheriff's office, employees so affected shall be notified of their right to transfer and shall have ninety days to transfer their employment to the police department of the city, code city, or town under sections 2 through 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 2 through 6 of this act are each added to chapter 35.13 RCW.