Z-0310.1

SENATE BILL 5310

BySenator Hunt; by request of Office of Financial Management

AN ACT Relating to correcting agency names and accounts in statutes to reflect the organizational structure, duties, and responsibilities of the office of financial management; amending RCW 41.07.020, 41.06.070, 41.06.160, 41.48.140, and 72.01.210; reenacting and amending RCW 41.07.030 and 43.43.832; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 41.07.020 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 1 s 107 are each amended to read as follows:

The ((consolidated technology services agency))office of financial management is authorized to administer, maintain, and operate the central personnel-payroll system and to provide its services for any state agency designated ((jointly by the consolidated technology services agency and))by the director of financial management.

State agencies shall convert personnel and payroll processing to the central personnel-payroll system as soon as administratively and technically feasible as determined by the office of financial management and the consolidated technology services agency. It is the intent of the legislature to provide, through the central personnel-payroll system, for uniform reporting to the office of financial management and to the legislature regarding salaries and related costs, and to reduce present costs of manual procedures in personnel and payroll recordkeeping and reporting.

Sec. 2. RCW 41.07.030 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 611 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 442 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The costs of administering, maintaining, and operating the central personnel-payroll system shall be distributed to the using state agencies. In order to insure proper and equitable distribution of costs the ((department of enterprise services))office of financial management shall utilize cost accounting procedures to identify all costs incurred in the administration, maintenance, and operation of the central personnel-payroll system. In order to facilitate proper and equitable distribution of costs to the using state agencies the ((department of enterprise services))office of financial management is authorized to utilize the ((data processing revolving fund created by RCW 43.19.791 and the personnel service fund))statewide information technology system maintenance and operations revolving account created by RCW ((41.06.280))43.41.442.

Sec. 3. RCW 41.06.070 and 2018 c 246 s 1 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, and temporary employees, and part-time professional consultants, as defined by the ((Washington personnel resources board))director;

(m) Officers and employees of the Washington state fruit commission;

(n) Officers and employees of the Washington apple commission;

(o) Officers and employees of the Washington state dairy products commission;

(p) Officers and employees of the Washington tree fruit research commission;

(q) Officers and employees of the Washington state beef commission;

(r) Officers and employees of the Washington grain 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) 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;

(v) 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;

(w) Staff employed by the department of commerce to administer energy policy functions;

(x) The manager of the energy facility site evaluation council;

(y) A maximum of ten staff employed by the department of commerce to administer innovation and policy functions, including the three principal policy assistants exempted under (v) of this subsection;

(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);

(aa) Officers and employees of the consolidated technology services agency created in RCW 43.105.006 that perform the following functions or duties: Systems integration; data center engineering and management; network systems engineering and management; information technology contracting; information technology customer relations management; and network and systems security;

(bb) The executive director of the Washington statewide reentry council.

(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 may provide for further exemptions pursuant to the following procedures. The governor or other appropriate elected official may submit requests for exemption to the office of financial management stating the reasons for requesting such exemptions. The director 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, or is a senior expert in enterprise information technology infrastructure, engineering, or systems, the director shall grant the request. 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.

(4) 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 (t) and (2) of this section, shall be determined by the director. 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.

(5)(a) 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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. 4. RCW 41.06.160 and 2005 c 274 s 278 are each amended to read as follows:

In preparing classification and salary schedules as set forth in RCW 41.06.150 the ((department of personnel))office of financial management shall give full consideration to prevailing rates in other public employment and in private employment in this state. For this purpose the department shall undertake comprehensive salary and fringe benefit surveys.

Salary and fringe benefit survey information collected from private employers which identifies a specific employer with the salary and fringe benefit rates which that employer pays to its employees shall not be subject to public disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW.

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))office of financial management 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 43.43.832 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 20 s 5 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 224 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section shall disclose conviction records as follows:

(a) An applicant's conviction record, 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;

(b) The conviction record of an applicant for certification, upon the request of the Washington professional educator standards board;

(c) Any conviction record 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, upon the request of a law enforcement agency, the office of the attorney general, prosecuting authority, or the department of social and health services; and

(d) A prospective client's or resident's conviction record, upon the request of a business or organization that qualifies for exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3)) and that provides emergency shelter or transitional housing for children, persons with developmental disabilities, or vulnerable adults.

(2) The secretary of the department of social and health services and the secretary of children, youth, and families must establish rules and set standards to require specific action when considering the information received pursuant to 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 provided that: For persons residing in a home that will be utilized to provide foster care for dependent youth, a criminal background check will be required for all persons aged sixteen and older and the department of social and health services may require a criminal background check for persons who are younger than sixteen in situations where it may be warranted to ensure the safety of youth in foster care;

(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, including peer counseling, of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to services contracted for under chapter 18.20, 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.

(3) The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families shall investigate the conviction records, pending charges, and other information including civil adjudication proceeding records of current employees and of any person actively being considered for any position with the department who will or may have unsupervised access to children, or for state positions otherwise required by federal law to meet employment standards. "Considered for any position" includes decisions about (a) initial hiring, layoffs, reallocations, transfers, promotions, or demotions, or (b) other decisions that result in an individual being in a position that will or may have unsupervised access to children as an employee, an intern, or a volunteer.

(4) The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families shall adopt rules and investigate conviction records, pending charges, and other information including civil adjudication proceeding records, in the following circumstances:

(a) When licensing or certifying agencies with individuals in positions that will or may have unsupervised access to children who are in child day care, in early learning programs, or receiving early childhood education services, including but not limited to licensees, agency staff, interns, volunteers, contracted providers, and persons living on the premises who are sixteen years of age or older;

(b) When authorizing individuals who will or may have unsupervised access to children who are in child day care, in early learning programs, or receiving early childhood learning education services in licensed or certified agencies, including but not limited to licensees, agency staff, interns, volunteers, contracted providers, and persons living on the premises who are sixteen years of age or older;

(c) When contracting with any business or organization for activities that will or may have unsupervised access to children who are in child day care, in early learning programs, or receiving early childhood learning education services;

(d) When establishing the eligibility criteria for individual providers to receive state paid subsidies to provide child day care or early learning services that will or may involve unsupervised access to children.

(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))office of financial management 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.

Sec. 7. RCW 72.01.210 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 727 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary of corrections shall appoint institutional chaplains for the state correctional institutions for convicted felons. Institutional chaplains shall be appointed as employees of the department of corrections. The secretary of corrections may further contract with chaplains to be employed as is necessary to meet the religious needs of those inmates whose religious denominations are not represented by institutional chaplains and where volunteer chaplains are not available.

(2) Institutional chaplains appointed by the department of corrections under this section shall have qualifications necessary to function as religious program coordinators for all faith groups represented within the department. Every chaplain so appointed or contracted with shall have qualifications consistent with community standards of the given faith group to which the chaplain belongs and shall not be required to violate the tenets of his or her faith when acting in an ecclesiastical role.

(3) The secretary of children, youth, and families 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.

(4) Except as provided in this section, the chaplains so appointed under this section shall have the qualifications and shall be compensated in an amount as recommended by the appointing department and approved by the ((Washington personnel resources board))director of financial management.

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