(1) Classified employees of technical colleges shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For purposes of this section, "technical college" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.50.030. This section applies to only those classified employees under the jurisdiction of chapter 41.56 RCW.

     (a) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this subsection, each technical college board of trustees shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase classified employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.

     (b) A technical college board of trustees shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the technical college's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each technical college shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.

     (c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for technical college classified employees in subsequent years.

     (d) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each subsequent fiscal year except for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 fiscal years, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.

     (2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index" means, for any fiscal year, the previous calendar year's annual average consumer price index, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest number of people, covering areas exclusively within the boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used for the cost-of-living index in this section.

[2003 1st sp.s. c 20 § 4; 2001 c 4 § 4 (Initiative Measure No. 732, approved November 7, 2000).]

NOTES:

     Severability -- 2001 c 4 (Initiative Measure No. 732): See note following RCW 28A.400.205.