SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1068
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Labor & Commerce, March 21, 2025
Ways & Means, April 8, 2025
Title: An act relating to removing the exclusion from interest arbitration of Washington management service employees at the department of corrections.
Brief Description: Removing the exclusion from interest arbitration of Washington management service employees at the department of corrections.
Sponsors: Representatives Doglio, Bronoske, Reeves, Tharinger, Street, Scott, Nance, Goodman, Fosse, Ryu, Leavitt, Ramel, Berry, Reed, Obras, Timmons, Davis, Ormsby, Lekanoff, Salahuddin and Hill.
Brief History: Passed House: 3/3/25, 72-25.
Committee Activity: Labor & Commerce: 3/21/25 [DP-WM, DNP].
Ways & Means: 4/03/25, 4/08/25 [DP, DNP, w/oRec].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Includes Washington Management Service members in the Department of Corrections employees eligible for interest arbitration.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & COMMERCE
Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
Signed by Senators Saldaña, Chair; Conway, Vice Chair; King, Ranking Member; Alvarado, MacEwen, Ramos and Stanford.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senators Braun and Schoesler.
Staff: Jarrett Sacks (786-7448)
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Robinson, Chair; Stanford, Vice Chair, Operating; Trudeau, Vice Chair, Capital; Frame, Vice Chair, Finance; Cleveland, Conway, Dhingra, Hansen, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Pedersen, Riccelli, Saldaña, Wagoner, Wellman and Wilson, C..
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senators Gildon, Ranking Member, Operating; Torres, Assistant Ranking Member, Operating; Schoesler, Ranking Member, Capital; Boehnke, Braun and Muzzall.
Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.
Signed by Senators Dozier, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Warnick.
Staff: Amanda Cecil (786-7460)
Background:

Washington Management Service. State civil service law governs the appointment, promotion, transfer, layoff, removal, discipline, and other personnel matters of most state agency employees. The Washington Management Service (WMS) is a separate personnel system for managers within state government. Agencies have delegated authority to determine if a position is appropriate for WMS. 

 

Personnel System Reform Act. The Personnel System Reform Act (PSRA) provides for collective bargaining of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment with classified employees of state agencies and institutions of higher education. Employees covered under the PSRA include all state civil service employees, unless specifically excluded. In 2023, the Legislature removed the exclusion of WMS employees under the PSRA, granting them the right to collectively bargain. 

 

Department of Corrections. The Department of Corrections (DOC) is responsible for managing state-operated adult prison facilities and supervising adult offenders residing in communities. DOC manages minimum to maximum custody level institutions, partial confinement programs, and community supervision services. Employees of DOC, except for confidential employees, members of the WMS, and internal auditors, have the right to interest arbitration under the PSRA.
Summary of Bill:

The exclusion of WMS members from the employees at DOC that are eligible for interest arbitration is removed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Labor & Commerce):

No public hearing was held.
Persons Testifying (Labor & Commerce):

N/A
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Labor & Commerce):

N/A
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Ways & Means):

PRO: This bill fixes an oversight from the 2023 bill that gave WMS employees collective bargaining rights. There is an updated fiscal note forthcoming that shows no cost.
Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): PRO: Brenda Wiest, Teamsters117.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Ways & Means): No one.