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2009 SESSION

092875212
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 330
Senate Amendments in [ ] -- February 3, 2009
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the findings of the Review of State Employee Total Compensation, prepared by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.  Report.
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Patron Prior to Engrossment--Senator Colgan
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the state offers salaries and benefits intended to recruit and retain a qualified workforce, motivate employees, facilitate health and productivity, allow employees to retire, and maintain a work / life balance; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) directed staff in 2006 to study salaries and benefits for employees of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, in October 2008, JLARC staff completed a comprehensive assessment of the salaries and benefits currently offered to employees, which also identified opportunities to better achieve the purposes of salaries and benefits and address the financial risks confronting the state’s health insurance and retirement benefit programs; and

WHEREAS, the options developed by JLARC staff to change the state employee retirement plans could also be applied to the political subdivision retirement plans and teacher retirement plan currently managed by the state; and

WHEREAS, JLARC staff also made recommendations to improve the strategic management of salaries and benefits, including the development of a total compensation strategy and creation of a compensation advisory council; and

WHEREAS, no structure currently exists to adequately facilitate further assessment and analysis of the JLARC staff options; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the findings of the Review of State Employee Total Compensation, prepared by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (the JLARC staff report). The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 15 members that shall consist of eight legislative members, three nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules  [ and  ;  ] five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates [ . Nonlegislative  ; one nonlegislative  ] citizen  [ members  member who  ] shall  [ be the presidents of  represent  ] the Virginia Association of Counties,  [  to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member who shall represent the  ] Virginia Municipal League, and  [  one nonlegislative citizen member who shall represent the  ] Virginia School Boards Association,  [ or their designees  to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates  ] . The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, or his designee, and the directors of the Department of Human Resource Management, the Department of Planning and Budget, and the Virginia Retirement System, or their designees, shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members.

Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify the principles and goals to be included in a total compensation strategy, including by addressing the key questions identified in Chapter 2 of the JLARC staff report; (ii) examine the JLARC staff report’s assessment of salaries and benefits and determine the extent to which changes to the current approach are necessary; (iii) decide which options for change included in the JLARC staff report are most appropriate when considering the purposes and costs of state salaries and benefits; and (iv) make recommendations to guide the implementation of the chosen options consistent with the total compensation strategy. The joint subcommittee shall solicit comments from employees and agency representatives including, but not limited to, state employees, political subdivision employees, teachers, and state and local law-enforcement officers, and shall consider such comments in its deliberations.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by JLARC. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2009 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $9,200 without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a Senate or House document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2009 interim.