HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1671
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
As Passed Legislature
Title: An act relating to reclassifications, class studies, and salary adjustments.
Brief Description: Modifying provisions relating to reclassifications, class studies, and salary adjustments.
Sponsors: By Representative Green; by request of Department of Personnel.
Brief History:
State Government & Tribal Affairs: 2/16/07, 2/20/07 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/7/07, 66-28.
Passed Senate: 4/13/07, 43-4.
Passed Legislature.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Hunt, Chair; Appleton, Vice Chair; Green, McDermott, Miloscia and Ormsby.
Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; Armstrong, Assistant Ranking Minority Member and Kretz.
Staff: Alison Hellberg (786-7152).
Background:
The Personnel System Reform Act (Act) was enacted in 2002. The Act restructured the state
civil service system, created a new option for the state to competitively contract work done
by state employees, and expanded collective bargaining to include wages and benefits. As
part of the restructuring of the state civil service system, the Act transferred rule-making
authority from the Washington Personnel Resources Board (Resources Board) to the
Department of Personnel, transferred appeal authority from the Personnel Appeals Board
(Appeals Board) to the Resources Board, and abolished the Appeals Board.
The Director of Personnel (Director) must also adopt and revise a comprehensive
classification plan for all positions in the classified service. When an agency requests
revisions, class studies, or salary adjustments, the Director may only adopt the revisions that
are due to documented:
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) must review the agency's fiscal impact
statement and concur that the cost of the revisions can be absorbed by the agency.
When the costs of revisions cannot be absorbed by an agency, the Resources Board may
submit a prioritized list of reclassifications, class studies, and salary adjustments to the
Governor's Office and the fiscal committees of the Legislature. The Legislature may
establish a level of funding to be applied by the Resources Board to the prioritized list.
Summary of Bill:
The Director shall adopt only those job classification revisions, class studies, and salary
adjustments that, as defined by the Director, are due to:
The OFM must also have reviewed the affected agency's fiscal impact statement and
concurred that the affected agency can absorb the cost of the reclassification, class study, or
salary adjustment.
The Resources Board is replaced with the Director throughout RCW 41.06.152. The
subsections dealing with the following issues are repealed:
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) Most of the changes in this bill are technical to allow for the continued
improvement of the state civil service laws. It is a general housekeeping bill related to the
Personnel System Reform Act. It repeals language that is superfluous because of the
expansion of collective bargaining. It also makes the criteria for classification revisions,
class studies, and salary adjustments more flexible and gives the Director authority to define
the criteria.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Green, prime sponsor; and Mike Sellars, Department of Personnel.