BILL REQ. #:  Z-0497.1 

Read first time 01/23/2007.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to the authority of the director of the Washington state department of personnel and the Washington personnel resources board; amending RCW 41.06.070, 41.06.093, 41.06.420, 41.48.140, 41.04.670, 43.43.832, 70.24.300, 72.01.210, and 72.02.045; reenacting and amending RCW 41.06.150; and repealing RCW 41.06.136.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.06.070 and 2002 c 354 s 209 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The provisions of this chapter do not apply to:
     (a) The members of the legislature or to any employee of, or position in, the legislative branch of the state government including members, officers, and employees of the legislative council, joint legislative audit and review committee, statute law committee, and any interim committee of the legislature;
     (b) The justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior courts or of the inferior courts, or to any employee of, or position in the judicial branch of state government;
     (c) Officers, academic personnel, and employees of technical colleges;
     (d) The officers of the Washington state patrol;
     (e) Elective officers of the state;
     (f) The chief executive officer of each agency;
     (g) In the departments of employment security and social and health services, the director and the director's confidential secretary; in all other departments, the executive head of which is an individual appointed by the governor, the director, his or her confidential secretary, and his or her statutory assistant directors;
     (h) In the case of a multimember board, commission, or committee, whether the members thereof are elected, appointed by the governor or other authority, serve ex officio, or are otherwise chosen:
     (i) All members of such boards, commissions, or committees;
     (ii) If the members of the board, commission, or committee serve on a part-time basis and there is a statutory executive officer: The secretary of the board, commission, or committee; the chief executive officer of the board, commission, or committee; and the confidential secretary of the chief executive officer of the board, commission, or committee;
     (iii) If the members of the board, commission, or committee serve on a full-time basis: The chief executive officer or administrative officer as designated by the board, commission, or committee; and a confidential secretary to the chair of the board, commission, or committee;
     (iv) If all members of the board, commission, or committee serve ex officio: The chief executive officer; and the confidential secretary of such chief executive officer;
     (i) The confidential secretaries and administrative assistants in the immediate offices of the elective officers of the state;
     (j) Assistant attorneys general;
     (k) Commissioned and enlisted personnel in the military service of the state;
     (l) Inmate, student, part-time, or temporary employees, and part-time professional consultants, as defined by the ((Washington personnel resources board)) director;
     (m) The public printer or to any employees of or positions in the state printing plant;
     (n) Officers and employees of the Washington state fruit commission;
     (o) Officers and employees of the Washington ((state)) apple ((advertising)) commission;
     (p) Officers and employees of the Washington state dairy products commission;
     (q) Officers and employees of the Washington tree fruit research commission;
     (r) Officers and employees of the Washington state beef commission;
     (s) Officers and employees of any commission formed under chapter 15.66 RCW;
     (t) Officers and employees of agricultural commissions formed under chapter 15.65 RCW;
     (u) Officers and employees of the nonprofit corporation formed under chapter 67.40 RCW;
     (v) Executive assistants for personnel administration and labor relations in all state agencies employing such executive assistants including but not limited to all departments, offices, commissions, committees, boards, or other bodies subject to the provisions of this chapter and this subsection shall prevail over any provision of law inconsistent herewith unless specific exception is made in such law;
     (w) In each agency with fifty or more employees: Deputy agency heads, assistant directors or division directors, and not more than three principal policy assistants who report directly to the agency head or deputy agency heads;
     (x) All employees of the marine employees' commission;
     (y) Staff employed by the department of community, trade, and economic development to administer energy policy functions and manage energy site evaluation council activities under RCW 43.21F.045(2)(m);
     (z) Staff employed by Washington State University to administer energy education, applied research, and technology transfer programs under RCW 43.21F.045 as provided in RCW 28B.30.900(5).
     (2) The following classifications, positions, and employees of institutions of higher education and related boards are hereby exempted from coverage of this chapter:
     (a) Members of the governing board of each institution of higher education and related boards, all presidents, vice-presidents, and their confidential secretaries, administrative, and personal assistants; deans, directors, and chairs; academic personnel; and executive heads of major administrative or academic divisions employed by institutions of higher education; principal assistants to executive heads of major administrative or academic divisions; other managerial or professional employees in an institution or related board having substantial responsibility for directing or controlling program operations and accountable for allocation of resources and program results, or for the formulation of institutional policy, or for carrying out personnel administration or labor relations functions, legislative relations, public information, development, senior computer systems and network programming, or internal audits and investigations; and any employee of a community college district whose place of work is one which is physically located outside the state of Washington and who is employed pursuant to RCW 28B.50.092 and assigned to an educational program operating outside of the state of Washington;
     (b) The governing board of each institution, and related boards, may also exempt from this chapter classifications involving research activities, counseling of students, extension or continuing education activities, graphic arts or publications activities requiring prescribed academic preparation or special training as determined by the board: PROVIDED, That no nonacademic employee engaged in office, clerical, maintenance, or food and trade services may be exempted by the board under this provision;
     (c) Printing craft employees in the department of printing at the University of Washington.
     (3) In addition to the exemptions specifically provided by this chapter, the director of personnel may provide for further exemptions pursuant to the following procedures. The governor or other appropriate elected official may submit requests for exemption to the director of personnel stating the reasons for requesting such exemptions. The director of personnel shall hold a public hearing, after proper notice, on requests submitted pursuant to this subsection. If the director determines that the position for which exemption is requested is one involving substantial responsibility for the formulation of basic agency or executive policy or one involving directing and controlling program operations of an agency or a major administrative division thereof, the director of personnel shall grant the request and such determination shall be final as to any decision made before July 1, 1993. The total number of additional exemptions permitted under this subsection shall not exceed one percent of the number of employees in the classified service not including employees of institutions of higher education and related boards for those agencies not directly under the authority of any elected public official other than the governor, and shall not exceed a total of twenty-five for all agencies under the authority of elected public officials other than the governor.
     The salary and fringe benefits of all positions presently or hereafter exempted except for the chief executive officer of each agency, full-time members of boards and commissions, administrative assistants and confidential secretaries in the immediate office of an elected state official, and the personnel listed in subsections (1)(j) through (u) and (x) and (2) of this section, shall be determined by the director of personnel. Changes to the classification plan affecting exempt salaries must meet the same provisions for classified salary increases resulting from adjustments to the classification plan as outlined in RCW 41.06.152.
     Any person holding a classified position subject to the provisions of this chapter shall, when and if such position is subsequently exempted from the application of this chapter, be afforded the following rights: If such person previously held permanent status in another classified position, such person shall have a right of reversion to the highest class of position previously held, or to a position of similar nature and salary.
     Any classified employee having civil service status in a classified position who accepts an appointment in an exempt position shall have the right of reversion to the highest class of position previously held, or to a position of similar nature and salary.
     A person occupying an exempt position who is terminated from the position for gross misconduct or malfeasance does not have the right of reversion to a classified position as provided for in this section.

Sec. 2   RCW 41.06.093 and 1993 c 281 s 24 are each amended to read as follows:
     In addition to the exemptions set forth in RCW 41.06.070, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply in the Washington state patrol to confidential secretaries of agency bureau chiefs, or their functional equivalent, and a confidential secretary for the chief of staff: PROVIDED, That each confidential secretary must meet the minimum qualifications for the class of secretary II as determined by the ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel.

Sec. 3   RCW 41.06.150 and 2002 c 371 s 906, 2002 c 354 s 203, 2002 c 354 s 202, and 2002 c 110 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     The director shall adopt rules, consistent with the purposes and provisions of this chapter and with the best standards of personnel administration, regarding the basis and procedures to be followed for:
     (1) Certification of names for vacancies;
     (2) Examinations for all positions in the competitive and noncompetitive service;
     (3) Appointments;
     (4) Adoption and revision of a comprehensive classification plan((, in accordance with rules adopted by the board under RCW 41.06.136,)) for all positions in the classified service, based on investigation and analysis of the duties and responsibilities of each such position and allocation and reallocation of positions within the classification plan.
     (a) The director shall not adopt job classification revisions or class studies unless implementation of the proposed revision or study will result in net cost savings, increased efficiencies, or improved management of personnel or services, and the proposed revision or study has been approved by the director of financial management in accordance with chapter 43.88 RCW.
     (b) Reclassifications, class studies, and salary adjustments are governed by (a) of this subsection and RCW 41.06.152;
     (5) Permitting agency heads to delegate the authority to appoint, reduce, dismiss, suspend, or demote employees within their agencies if such agency heads do not have specific statutory authority to so delegate: PROVIDED, That the director may not authorize such delegation to any position lower than the head of a major subdivision of the agency;
     (6) Assuring persons who are or have been employed in classified positions before July 1, 1993, will be eligible for employment, reemployment, transfer, and promotion in respect to classified positions covered by this chapter;
     (7) Affirmative action in appointment, promotion, transfer, recruitment, training, and career development; development and implementation of affirmative action goals and timetables; and monitoring of progress against those goals and timetables.
     The director shall consult with the human rights commission in the development of rules pertaining to affirmative action. The department of personnel shall transmit a report annually to the human rights commission which states the progress each state agency has made in meeting affirmative action goals and timetables.
     Rules adopted under this section by the director shall provide for local administration and management by the institutions of higher education and related boards, subject to periodic audit and review by the director.

Sec. 4   RCW 41.06.420 and 1980 c 118 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The ((board)) director, by rule, shall prescribe the conditions under which an employee appointed to a supervisory or management position after June 12, 1980, shall be required to successfully complete an entry-level management training course as approved by the director. Such training shall not be required of any employee who has completed a management training course prior to the employee's appointment which is, in the judgment of the director, at least equivalent to the entry-level course required by this section.
     (2) The ((board)) director, by rule, shall establish procedures for the suspension of the entry-level training requirement in cases where the ability of an agency to perform its responsibilities is adversely affected, or for the waiver of this requirement in cases where a person has demonstrated experience as a substitute for training.
     (3) Agencies subject to the provisions of this chapter, in accordance with rules prescribed by the board, shall designate individual positions, or groups of positions, as being "supervisory" or "management" positions. Such designations shall be subject to review by the director as part of the director's evaluation of training and career development programs prescribed by RCW 41.06.400(2).

Sec. 5   RCW 41.48.140 and 1993 c 281 s 39 are each amended to read as follows:
     Nothing in RCW 41.48.120 or 41.48.130 shall affect the power of the ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel or any other state personnel authority to establish sick leave rules except as may be required under RCW 41.48.120 or 41.48.130: PROVIDED, That each personnel board and personnel authority shall establish the maximum number of working days an employee under its jurisdiction may be absent on account of sickness or accident disability without a medical certificate.
     "Personnel authority" as used in this section, means a state agency, board, committee, or similar body having general authority to establish personnel rules.

Sec. 6   RCW 41.04.670 and 1993 c 281 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
     The ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel and other personnel authorities shall each adopt rules applicable to employees under their respective jurisdictions: (1) Establishing appropriate parameters for the program which are consistent with the provisions of RCW 41.04.650 through 41.04.665; (2) providing for equivalent treatment of employees between their respective jurisdictions and allowing transfers of leave in accordance with RCW 41.04.665(5); (3) establishing procedures to ensure that the program does not significantly increase the cost of providing leave; and (4) providing for the administration of the program and providing for maintenance and collection of sufficient information on the program to allow a thorough legislative review.

Sec. 7   RCW 43.43.832 and 2006 c 263 s 826 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that businesses and organizations providing services to children, developmentally disabled persons, and vulnerable adults need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. The legislature further finds that many developmentally disabled individuals and vulnerable adults desire to hire their own employees directly and also need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. Therefore, the Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section shall disclose, upon the request of a business or organization as defined in RCW 43.43.830, a developmentally disabled person, or a vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 43.43.830 or his or her guardian, an applicant's record for convictions as defined in chapter 10.97 RCW.
     (2) The legislature also finds that the Washington professional educator standards board may request of the Washington state patrol criminal identification system information regarding a certificate applicant's record for convictions under subsection (1) of this section.
     (3) The legislature also finds that law enforcement agencies, the office of the attorney general, prosecuting authorities, and the department of social and health services may request this same information to aid in the investigation and prosecution of child, developmentally disabled person, and vulnerable adult abuse cases and to protect children and adults from further incidents of abuse.
     (4) The legislature further finds that the secretary of the department of social and health services must establish rules and set standards to require specific action when considering the information listed in subsection (1) of this section, and when considering additional information including but not limited to civil adjudication proceedings as defined in RCW 43.43.830 and any out-of-state equivalent, in the following circumstances:
     (a) When considering persons for state employment in positions directly responsible for the supervision, care, or treatment of children, vulnerable adults, or individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities;
     (b) When considering persons for state positions involving unsupervised access to vulnerable adults to conduct comprehensive assessments, financial eligibility determinations, licensing and certification activities, investigations, surveys, or case management; or for state positions otherwise required by federal law to meet employment standards;
     (c) When licensing agencies or facilities with individuals in positions directly responsible for the care, supervision, or treatment of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to agencies or facilities licensed under chapter 74.15 or 18.51 RCW;
     (d) When contracting with individuals or businesses or organizations for the care, supervision, case management, or treatment of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to services contracted for under chapter 18.20, ((18.48,)) 70.127, 70.128, 72.36, or 74.39A RCW or Title 71A RCW;
     (e) When individual providers are paid by the state or providers are paid by home care agencies to provide in-home services involving unsupervised access to persons with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities or mental illness, or to vulnerable adults as defined in chapter 74.34 RCW, including but not limited to services provided under chapter 74.39 or 74.39A RCW.
     (5) Whenever a state conviction record check is required by state law, persons may be employed or engaged as volunteers or independent contractors on a conditional basis pending completion of the state background investigation. Whenever a national criminal record check through the federal bureau of investigation is required by state law, a person may be employed or engaged as a volunteer or independent contractor on a conditional basis pending completion of the national check. The ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel shall adopt rules to accomplish the purposes of this subsection as it applies to state employees.
     (6)(a) For purposes of facilitating timely access to criminal background information and to reasonably minimize the number of requests made under this section, recognizing that certain health care providers change employment frequently, health care facilities may, upon request from another health care facility, share copies of completed criminal background inquiry information.
     (b) Completed criminal background inquiry information may be shared by a willing health care facility only if the following conditions are satisfied: The licensed health care facility sharing the criminal background inquiry information is reasonably known to be the person's most recent employer, no more than twelve months has elapsed from the date the person was last employed at a licensed health care facility to the date of their current employment application, and the criminal background information is no more than two years old.
     (c) If criminal background inquiry information is shared, the health care facility employing the subject of the inquiry must require the applicant to sign a disclosure statement indicating that there has been no conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842 since the completion date of the most recent criminal background inquiry.
     (d) Any health care facility that knows or has reason to believe that an applicant has or may have a disqualifying conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842, subsequent to the completion date of their most recent criminal background inquiry, shall be prohibited from relying on the applicant's previous employer's criminal background inquiry information. A new criminal background inquiry shall be requested pursuant to RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.842.
     (e) Health care facilities that share criminal background inquiry information shall be immune from any claim of defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, or any other claim in connection with any dissemination of this information in accordance with this subsection.
     (f) Health care facilities shall transmit and receive the criminal background inquiry information in a manner that reasonably protects the subject's rights to privacy and confidentiality.
     (g) For the purposes of this subsection, "health care facility" means a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW, a boarding home licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW, or an adult family home licensed under chapter 70.128 RCW.
     (7) If a federal bureau of investigation check is required in addition to the state background check by the department of social and health services, an applicant who is not disqualified based on the results of the state background check shall be eligible for a one hundred twenty day provisional approval to hire, pending the outcome of the federal bureau of investigation check. The department may extend the provisional approval until receipt of the federal bureau of investigation check. If the federal bureau of investigation check disqualifies an applicant, the department shall notify the requestor that the provisional approval to hire is withdrawn and the applicant may be terminated.

Sec. 8   RCW 70.24.300 and 1993 c 281 s 60 are each amended to read as follows:
     The ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel and each unit of local government shall determine whether any employees under their jurisdiction have a substantial likelihood of exposure in the course of their employment to the human immunodeficiency virus. If so, the agency or unit of government shall adopt rules requiring appropriate training and education for the employees on the prevention, transmission, and treatment of AIDS. The rules shall specifically provide for such training and education for law enforcement, correctional, and health care workers. The ((Washington personnel resources board)) director and each unit of local government shall work with the office on AIDS under RCW 70.24.250 to develop the educational and training material necessary for employees.

Sec. 9   RCW 72.01.210 and 1993 c 281 s 62 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of corrections shall appoint chaplains for the state correctional institutions for convicted felons; and the secretary of social and health services shall appoint chaplains for the correctional institutions for juveniles found delinquent by the juvenile courts; and the secretary of corrections and the secretary of social and health services shall appoint one or more chaplains for other custodial, correctional and mental institutions under their control. The chaplains so appointed shall have the qualifications and shall be compensated in an amount, as shall hereafter be recommended by the department and approved by the ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel.

Sec. 10   RCW 72.02.045 and 2005 c 382 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The superintendent of each institution has the powers, duties, and responsibilities specified in this section.
     (1) Subject to the rules of the department, the superintendent is responsible for the supervision and management of the institution, the grounds and buildings, the subordinate officers and employees, and the prisoners committed, admitted, or transferred to the institution.
     (2) Subject to the rules of the department and the director of the division of prisons or his or her designee and the ((Washington personnel resources board)) director of the Washington state department of personnel, the superintendent shall appoint all subordinate officers and employees.
     (3) The superintendent, subject to approval by the secretary, has the authority to determine the types and amounts of property that convicted persons may possess in department facilities. This authority includes the authority to determine the types and amounts that the department will transport at the department's expense whenever a convicted person is transferred between department institutions or to other jurisdictions. Convicted persons are responsible for the costs of transporting their excess property. If a convicted person fails to pay the costs of transporting any excess property within ninety days from the date of transfer, such property shall be presumed abandoned and may be disposed of in the manner allowed by RCW 63.42.040 (1) through (3). The superintendent shall be the custodian of all funds and valuable personal property of convicted persons as may be in their possession upon admission to the institution, or which may be sent or brought in to such persons, or earned by them while in custody, or which shall be forwarded to the superintendent on behalf of convicted persons. All such funds shall be deposited in the personal account of the convicted person and the superintendent shall have authority to disburse moneys from such person's personal account for the personal and incidental needs of the convicted person as may be deemed reasonably necessary. When convicted persons are released from the custody of the department either on parole, community placement, community custody, community supervision, or discharge, all funds and valuable personal property in the possession of the superintendent belonging to such convicted persons shall be delivered to them. In no case shall the state of Washington, or any state officer, including state elected officials, employees, or volunteers, be liable for the loss of such personal property, except upon a showing that the loss was occasioned by the intentional act, gross negligence, or negligence of the officer, official, employee, or volunteer, and that the actions or omissions occurred while the person was performing, or in good faith purporting to perform, his or her official duties. Recovery of damages for loss of personal property while in the custody of the superintendent under this subsection shall be limited to the lesser of the market value of the item lost at the time of the loss, or the original purchase price of the item or, in the case of hand-made goods, the materials used in fabricating the item.
     (4) The superintendent, subject to the approval of the director of the division of prisons and the secretary, shall make, amend, and repeal rules for the administration, supervision, discipline, and security of the institution.
     (5) When in the superintendent's opinion an emergency exists, the superintendent may promulgate temporary rules for the governance of the institution, which shall remain in effect until terminated by the director of the division of prisons or the secretary.
     (6) The superintendent shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   RCW 41.06.136 (Board review of rules affecting classified service -- Rules to be developed -- Goals) and 2002 c 354 s 205 are each repealed.