House Bill Analysis

SB 6429

Title:  AN ACT Relating to state employees' suggestion awards and incentive pay.

Brief Description:  Changing statutes that effect the productivity board.

Sponsor:  Senators Patterson and Horn.

Brief Summary

CIncreases the Productivity Board's membership from eight to 10.

CEliminates the limit of consecutive terms for certain board members.

CProvides an alternative name for the board.

House State Government Committee

Staff:  Andrea Leder, policy intern (786-7093); Jim Morishima (786-7191).

Background:

The Productivity Board administers the statewide employee suggestion program and adopts rules allowing for agency-unique suggestion programs.  Rules governing the statewide program provide for a payment award schedule that establishes the criteria for determining the amounts of any financial or other awards.

Members of the board include the Secretary of State, directors of the Department of Personnel, Office of Financial Management, and Department of General Administration, one appointed person to represent agencies and their employees, and three individuals experienced in administering incentive programs.  These three individuals are appointed, one each, by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.  The Governor's appointee must be a representative of an employee organization certified as an exclusive representative of at least one bargaining unit of classified employees.  No one organization may be represented for two consecutive terms.

During the 1999 session, laws pertaining to the Productivity Board were rewritten.  One of the changes decreased the number of board members by two.  The two positions eliminated were the personnel director of the Higher Education Personnel Board and the Governor appointee representing institutions of higher education and their employees.

Summary:

Two members are added to the board, increasing its membership from eight to 10.  One new member must represent institutions of higher education and their employees.  The other new member increases the number of individuals representing state agency employees from one to two.  Both positions are appointed by the Governor.

The requirement regarding the number of terms one organization may be represented on the board is eliminated.

The board may either be referred to as the Productivity Board or as the Employee Involvement and Recognition Board.

Rule Making Authority: No express authority.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is enacted.