WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 5790

Concerning cost-of-living adjustments for community and technical college employees.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by June Robinson

Switches COLA indexing for community/technical college staff from Seattle CPI to IPD, effective July 1, 2025; COLA fully funded, amounts vary with IPD.

Effective date 7/1/2025.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 5790

SB 5790 — Summary

Concerning cost-of-living adjustments for community and technical college employees
Chapter 344, 2025 Laws — Effective July 1, 2025 (signed by Governor May 17, 2025)

Purpose / Intent

SB 5790 changes the inflation index used to calculate the annual cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for certain community and technical college employees in Washington state. The bill aligns the COLA index for these employees with the index already used for K–12 employees.

Key provisions

  • Amends RCW 28B.50.465 and RCW 28B.50.468.
  • Replaces the Seattle‑area Consumer Price Index (CPI) with the implicit price deflator (IPD) as the “cost‑of‑living index” used to compute annual COLAs.
    • The change takes effect beginning with the 2025–2027 fiscal biennium, using the IPD for the previous calendar year as of the beginning of the school year.
    • The IPD referenced is the implicit price deflator compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (U.S. Department of Commerce), using the official current base.
  • Existing mechanisms preserved:
    • Each fiscal year college districts and technical college boards receive a COLA allocation sufficient to raise salaries (including mandatory salary‑related benefits) by the rate of the chosen index.
    • Allocations must be distributed consistent with salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and compensation policies; districts must certify use of funds by fiscal year end.
    • The state is required to fully fund the COLA amounts set forth in the statutes.
  • Declares an emergency and sets the effective date to July 1, 2025.

Who is affected

  • Academic employees of community and technical college districts (per RCW 28B.52.020).
  • Classified employees of technical colleges who are under chapter 41.56 RCW.
  • State funding authorities and college district payroll/budget offices (responsible for applying the new index and certifying expenditure).

Practical impact

  • The annual COLA amounts for the affected employees will be computed using the IPD rather than the Seattle‑area CPI. Because the two indices measure price changes differently (CPI: consumer price measure, localized; IPD: broader measure of prices for domestically produced goods and services at the national level), COLA amounts may increase or decrease relative to prior practice depending on actual index movements in any given year.
  • The bill does not change distribution rules, bargaining rights, or the state’s obligation to fully fund the legislated COLA.
  • No appropriation is included in the bill; a fiscal note is available.

Legislative history & procedural notes

  • Introduced: March 18, 2025 (Senate Ways & Means, originally Sen. Robinson).
  • Passed Senate: April 19, 2025 (37–10). Passed House: April 24, 2025 (95–1).
  • Delivered to Governor: April 27, 2025. Governor signed: May 17, 2025.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2025 (emergency clause).
  • Reports indicate no public testimony for or against in committee.

Background

  • Initiative 732 (2000) originally required COLAs for K–12 and community/technical college employees based on the Seattle‑area CPI. K–12 COLA indexing was changed to the IPD by EHB 2242 (2017). SB 5790 extends the IPD approach to community and technical college academic and technical college classified employees.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.