Read first time 01/17/14.   Referred to Committee on Local Government.

     AN ACT Relating to electronic salary and wage payments by counties; amending RCW 41.04.240; and creating a new section.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.04.240 and 2013 c 164 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except with regard to institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, any official of the state or of any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or quasi-municipal corporation authorized to disburse funds in payment of salaries and wages of employees is authorized upon written request of at least twenty-five employees to pay all or part of such salaries or wages to any financial institution for either: (a) Credit to the employees' accounts in such financial institution; or (b) immediate transfer therefrom to the employees' accounts in any other financial institutions.
     (2) In disbursing funds for payment of salaries and wages of employees, institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 are authorized to require the following payment methods:
     (a) For employees who have an account in a financial institution, payment to any financial institution for either: (i) Credit to the employees' accounts in such financial institution; or (ii) immediate transfer therefrom to the employees' accounts in any other financial institutions; and
     (b) For employees who do not have an account in a financial institution, payment by alternate methods such as payroll cards.
     (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing any employer to require the employees to have an account in any particular financial institution or type of financial institution. A single warrant may be drawn in favor of such financial institution, for the total amount due the employees involved, and written directions provided to such financial institution of the amount to be credited to the account of an employee or to be transferred to an account in another financial institution for such employee. The issuance and delivery by the disbursing officer of a warrant in accordance with the procedure set forth herein and proper indorsement thereof by the financial institution shall have the same legal effect as payment directly to the employee.
     (4) Conservation districts as established and authorized under chapter 89.08 RCW are exempt from the requirement to obtain a written request of twenty-five employees as required in subsection (1) of this section, and may disburse funds in payment of salaries and wages of employees consistent with this chapter and RCW 89.08.215.
     (5) Counties, in disbursing funds for payment of salaries and wages of employees in accordance with subsection (1) of this section, may elect to use the payment methods established in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section for all employees. Use of the disbursement methods authorized by this subsection (5) must be approved, by ordinance, by the county legislative authority.
     (6) For the purposes of this section "financial institution" means any bank or trust company established in this state pursuant to chapter 2, Title 12, United States Code, or Title 30 RCW, and any credit union established in this state pursuant to chapter 14, Title 12, United States Code, or chapter 31.12 RCW, and any mutual savings bank established in this state pursuant to Title 32 RCW, and any savings and loan association established in this state pursuant to chapter 12, Title 12, United States Code, or Title 33 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The Washington state institute for public policy must conduct a study of all counties that elect to disburse funds in accordance with RCW 41.04.240(5) for payment of salaries and wages for all county employees. This study must identify:
     (a) The percentages of county employees who receive payment of salaries and wages under RCW 41.04.240(2)(a) and under RCW 41.04.240(2)(b); and
     (b) With regard to county employees' salaries and wages that are disbursed in accordance with RCW 41.04.240(2)(b):
     (i) The average amount and range of salaries and wages disbursed under RCW 41.04.240(2)(b);
     (ii) Each method of payment used to disburse funds; and
     (iii) Whether each method of payment used to disburse funds is subject to a fee or charge and the amount of the fee or charge, if any.
     (2) The Washington state institute for public policy must report its findings to the legislature by December 31, 2014.