Brief (1)
SB 327 would repeal the statutory requirement to abolish 25 percent of state employee positions which become vacant due to retirements.
A technical amendment was added by the Senate to update the statutory citation since the original bill was introduced in 1999.
Background
The state's retirement reduction provisions were first enacted by the 1993 Legislature and became effective in FY 1994 as a means to reduce the number of state employees. Under the provisions, when a position becomes vacant due to a retirement, the position and its funding are frozen until it is restored by the Governor, or the Legislative Coordinating Council in the case of Legislative branch employees. No more than 75 percent of the total number of positions frozen due to retirement may be restored. If not restored, the position and associated funding are eliminated. The provisions are not applicable to certain direct care employees and other positions exempted by law.
SB 327 was recommended by the Governor to the 1999 Legislature. In testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in support of the bill, the Secretary of Administration stated that the law was responsible for the elimination of 943.2 FTE positions through FY 1999. Also providing testimony in support of the bill were the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Wildlife and Parks. Also providing testimony in support of the bill were representatives of the Department of Human Resources, a representative of 14 small and medium sized agencies, the Kansas Association of Public Employees, and the State Employees Association of Kansas. No opponents to the bill testified.
Proponents of the bill indicated that the current system results in delays filling vital staff positions, disruption of agency strategic planning, increased workloads for remaining staff members, an inequitable distribution of workforce reductions, and increased possibility of age discrimination in promotions or hiring.
SB 327 also was the topic of study by the Legislative Budget Committee during the 1999 interim. The Committee recommended that the retirement reduction law not be repealed but that the Administration consider modifications which would mitigate some of the negative impact caused by retirement reductions.
The fiscal note prepared by the Division of the Budget on SB 327 stated that passage of the bill would not impact state revenues, but that elimination of retirement reductions would retain approximately 160.0 FTE positions and the associated funding on an annual basis.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html