6260-S.E AMH COUT PRIN 780

ESSB 6260 - H AMD TO APP COMM AMD (H-3825.1/26) 2636

By Representative Couture

NOT ADOPTED 03/11/2026

On page 11, after line 15 of the striking amendment, insert the following:

"Sec. 7. RCW 41.59.105 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13 s 818 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) All collective bargaining agreements entered into between a school district employer and school district employees under this chapter after June 10, 2010, as well as bargaining agreements existing on June 10, 2010, but renewed or extended after June 10, 2010, shall be consistent with RCW 28A.657.050.

(2) All collective bargaining agreements entered into between a school district employer and school district employees under this chapter shall be consistent with RCW 28A.400.280 and 28A.400.350.

(3) Employee bargaining shall be initiated after July 1, 2018, over the dollar amount to be contributed beginning January 1, 2020, on behalf of each employee for health care benefits. Bargaining must subsequently be conducted in even-numbered years between the governor or governor's designee and one coalition of all the exclusive bargaining representatives impacted by benefit purchasing with the school employees' benefits board established in RCW 41.05.740, consistent with RCW 28A.400.280 and 28A.400.350. The coalition bargaining must follow the model initially established for state employees in RCW 41.80.020.

(4) The governor shall submit a request for funds necessary to implement the collective bargaining agreement for the dollar amount to be expended for school employee health benefits, or for legislation necessary to implement the agreement. A request for funds shall not be submitted to the legislature by the governor unless such request:

(a) Has been submitted to the director of the office of financial management by October 1st prior to the legislative session at which the request is to be considered; and

(b) Has been certified by the director of the office of financial management as being feasible financially for the state.

The legislature shall approve or reject the submission of the request for funds. The legislature shall not consider a request for funds unless the request is transmitted to the legislature as part of the governor's budget document submitted under RCW 43.88.030 and 43.88.060.

If the legislature rejects or fails to act on the submission, either party may reopen all or part of the agreement. However, if the director of the office of financial management does not certify a request under this section as being feasible financially for the state, the parties shall enter into collective bargaining solely for the purpose of reaching a mutually agreed upon modification of the agreement necessary to address the absence of those requested funds. The legislature may act upon the health care benefit provisions of the modified collective bargaining agreement if those provisions are agreed upon and submitted to the office of financial management and legislative budget committees before final legislative action on the biennial or supplemental operating budget. If the legislature rejects or fails to act on the submission, either party may reopen all or part of the agreement.

(5) Between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2032, no collective bargaining agreement may be executed, modified, or renewed that provides for an increase in salary or wage compensation that exceeds five percent over any two-year period.

Sec. 8. RCW 41.56.139 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13 s 817 are each amended to read as follows:

(2) All collective bargaining agreements entered into between a school district employer and school district employees under this chapter shall be consistent with RCW 28A.400.280 and 28A.400.350.

(3) Employee bargaining shall be initiated after July 1, 2018, over the dollar amount to be contributed for school employee health benefits beginning January 1, 2020, on behalf of each employee for health care benefits. Bargaining must subsequently be conducted in even-numbered years between the governor or governor's designee and one coalition of all the exclusive bargaining representatives impacted by benefit purchasing with the school employees' benefits board established in RCW 41.05.740, consistent with RCW 28A.400.280 and 28A.400.350. The coalition bargaining must follow the model initially established for state employees in RCW 41.80.020.

(a) Has been submitted to the director of the office of financial management by October 1st prior to the legislative session at which the request is to be considered; and

(b) Has been certified by the director of the office of financial management as being feasible financially for the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Nothing in sections 7 and 8 of this act is intended to alter or impair school district collective bargaining agreements that are in effect on the effective date of this act. Any school district collective bargaining agreement executed, modified or extended after the effective date of this act, must comply with sections 7 and 8 of this act."

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

EFFECT: Limits school employee collective bargaining agreements executed, modified, or extended after the effective date of the act to salary or wage compensation increases of no more than five percent of any two-year period. Applies the limit to the period of July 1, 2026 until June 30, 2032. States that the limitations are not intended to alter or impair bargaining agreement already in effect.

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