BILL REQ. #:  S-3722.1 

Read first time 01/17/14.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to restoring the suspended inflationary increases in educational employee compensation; amending RCW 28A.400.205, 28B.50.465, 28B.50.468, and 28A.405.415; and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.400.205 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) School district employees shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section.
     (a) The cost-of-living increase shall be calculated by applying the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index to any state-funded salary base used in state funding formulas for teachers and other school district employees. Beginning with the 2001-02 school year, and for each subsequent school year, except for the 2013-14 ((and 2014-15)) school year((s)), each school district shall be provided a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to grant this cost-of-living increase.
     (b) A school district shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and compensation policies. No later than the end of the school year, each school district shall certify to the superintendent of public instruction that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.
     (c) Any funded cost-of-living increase shall be included in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for school employees in subsequent years. For teachers and other certificated instructional staff, the rate of the annual cost-of-living increase funded for certificated instructional staff shall be applied to the base salary used with the statewide salary allocation schedule established under RCW 28A.150.410 and to any other salary models used to recognize school district personnel costs.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any school year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.50.465 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Academic employees of community and technical college districts shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For purposes of this section, "academic employee" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.52.020.
     (a) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this subsection, each college district shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase academic employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.
     (b) A college district shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each college district shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.
     (c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for academic employees in subsequent years.
     (d) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except for the 2013-2014 ((and 2014-2015)) fiscal year((s)), the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any fiscal year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.50.468 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Classified employees of technical colleges shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For purposes of this section, "technical college" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.50.030. This section applies to only those classified employees under the jurisdiction of chapter 41.56 RCW.
     (a) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this subsection, each technical college board of trustees shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase classified employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.
     (b) A technical college board of trustees shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the technical college's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each technical college shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.
     (c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for technical college classified employees in subsequent years.
     (d) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except for the 2013-2014 ((and 2014-2015)) fiscal year((s)), the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any fiscal year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

Sec. 4   RCW 28A.405.415 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Certificated instructional staff who have attained certification from the national board for professional teaching standards shall receive a bonus each year in which they maintain the certification. The bonus shall be calculated as follows: The annual bonus shall be five thousand dollars in the 2007-08 school year. Thereafter, the annual bonus shall increase by inflation, except that the bonus shall not be increased during the 2013-14 ((and 2014-15)) school year((s)).
     (2) Certificated instructional staff who have attained certification from the national board for professional teaching standards shall be eligible for bonuses in addition to that provided by subsection (1) of this section if the individual is in an instructional assignment in a school in which at least seventy percent of the students qualify for the free and reduced-price lunch program.
     (3) The amount of the additional bonus under subsection (2) of this section for those meeting the qualifications of subsection (2) of this section is five thousand dollars.
     (4) The bonuses provided under this section are in addition to compensation received under a district's salary schedule adopted in accordance with RCW 28A.405.200 and shall not be included in calculations of a district's average salary and associated salary limitations under RCW 28A.400.200.
     (5) The bonuses provided under this section shall be paid in a lump sum amount.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act takes effect July 1, 2014.