The bill amends RCW 41.56.157 to establish collective bargaining rights for language access providers, designating the governor as their public employer for these purposes. It outlines specific bargaining units for language access providers who offer spoken language interpreter services across various state departments. The scope of collective bargaining is limited to economic compensation, professional development, grievance procedures, and health benefits, while explicitly excluding retirement benefits. Additionally, the bill stipulates that language access providers do not have the right to strike and that any collective bargaining agreement must be approved by the legislature for funding.

New provisions include the requirement for the governor to submit a request for funds necessary to implement collective bargaining agreements as part of the biennial budget, and a mandate for state agencies to report on their procurement processes for spoken language interpreters. The bill also clarifies that in the event of a conflict between an executive order or agency policy and a collective bargaining agreement, the agreement will prevail, although any conflicting provision with a statute will be deemed invalid. This legislation aims to enhance the rights and working conditions of language access providers while ensuring legislative oversight of funding for their compensation.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 41.56.157