SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6372

As Passed Senate, February 18, 2002

Title:  An act relating to the combined fund drive.

Brief Description:  Creating the combined fund drive account.

Sponsors:  Senators Fraser and Winsley; by request of Department of Personnel.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ways & Means:  1/31/02, 2/4/02 [DP].

Passed Senate:  2/18/02, 44-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Brown, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Fraser, Hewitt, Honeyford, Kohl‑Welles, Long, Poulsen, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Winsley and Zarelli.

Staff:  Chelsea Buchanan (786‑7446)

Background:  Currently state employees and retirees have the option of making charitable donations through an annual combined fund drive.

 The Combined Fund Drive Committee, appointed by the Governor, sets policy and oversees the annual charitable campaign.  Staff within the Department of Personnel handle associated administrative duties.

Concerns have been expressed that the Department of Personnel does not have explicit rule-making authority for the purposes of operating the fund drive, and that the funds collected for the drive should be deposited within an account in the state treasury until they are disbursed.

Summary of Bill:  The statute referring to the "united fund" is updated to refer to the "Washington State combined fund drive." 

The director of the Department of Personnel is authorized to adopt rules for the fund drive, after consultation with agencies, institutions, and employee organizations.

Collected contributions are deposited in a new account within the state treasury.  The combined fund drive account retains its own interest, and may only be expended by authorization from the director of the Department of Personnel for the beneficiaries of the fund drive.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 17, 2002.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The Combined Fund Drive has been very successful since its inception in 1985, raising $4.75 million for charity in 2001.  The current method of depositing the proceeds of the drive into a credit union allows it to retain its own interest, but the account would be more appropriate in a new interest‑retaining fund in the state treasury.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Karen Fraser, prime sponsor; Gene Matt, Department of Personnel; Scott Turner, Department of Personnel.