Bill > SB5790

This bill updates the process for cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for academic and classified employees at community and technical colleges in Washington state. The legislation modifies how the cost-of-living index is calculated, switching from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index to the Bureau of Economic Analysis' implicit price deflator starting with the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. The bill requires that every fiscal year, college districts and technical college boards of trustees receive allocations to increase employee salaries and mandatory salary-related benefits based on the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index. Technical colleges and college districts must distribute these allocations through existing salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and compensation policies, and must certify to the college board that the funds were used for salary increases. The cost-of-living increases will be included in the salary base for calculating future increases, and the state commits to fully funding these cost-of-living adjustments. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025, and is deemed necessary for preserving public peace, health, safety, and supporting state government institutions.

Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5790&Year=2025&Initiative=false