This bill amends existing laws regarding cost-of-living adjustments for academic and classified employees of community and technical colleges in Washington State. It establishes that every fiscal year, each college district and technical college board of trustees will receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, in line with the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index. The bill specifies that the state will fully fund these cost-of-living increases and introduces a new definition for the "cost-of-living index," which will now be based on the implicit price deflator for the previous calendar year, as compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, starting from the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

Additionally, the bill removes outdated language regarding the fiscal years and definitions of "academic employee" and "technical college," streamlining the provisions for clarity. It emphasizes the requirement for college districts and technical colleges to certify their spending on cost-of-living increases by the end of each fiscal year. The act is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, or safety, and is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28B.50.465, 28B.50.468
Substitute Bill: 28B.50.465, 28B.50.468
Bill as Passed Legislature: 28B.50.465, 28B.50.468
Session Law: 28B.50.465, 28B.50.468