The bill amends various sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) to enhance the financial feasibility and oversight of collective bargaining agreements for family child care providers, adult family home providers, school district employees, ferry system employees, and individual providers of personal care services. It designates the governor as the public employer for these providers for collective bargaining purposes and limits negotiations to specific economic matters, such as compensation and health benefits, while explicitly excluding retirement benefits. A key provision requires that any collective bargaining agreement must be certified as financially feasible by the director of financial management, with the stipulation that agreements cannot be certified if the governor's budget proposes to raise taxes or withdraw funds from the budget stabilization account without legislative approval.

Additionally, the bill establishes a structured timeline for negotiations and funding requests, mandating that the governor submit requests for necessary funds by October 1st prior to the legislative session. It emphasizes that if the legislature rejects a funding request, the agreement must be reopened for renegotiation. The legislation also introduces a rate-setting board for consumer-directed employers to evaluate labor rates, ensuring that the board includes representatives from various stakeholders. Overall, the bill aims to ensure that collective bargaining processes are fiscally responsible and aligned with legislative oversight, while providing a clear framework for negotiations and funding related to public sector employee agreements.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 41.56.028, 41.56.029, 41.56.473, 41.56.500, 41.56.510, 41.56.515, 41.59.105, 41.80.010, 47.64.170, 43.88.030, 74.39A.530