Bill Text: CA ACR98 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: State employee merit awards.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-01 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 158, Statutes of 2016. [ACR98 Detail]

Download: California-2015-ACR98-Chaptered.html

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 98	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  158
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 24, 2016
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 27, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Beth Gaines

                        JULY 16, 2015

   Relative to state employee merit awards.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 98, Beth Gaines. State employee merit awards.
   This measure would declare that merit award payments in specified
amounts, authorized by the Department of Human Resources, are made to
specified current or retired state employees whose proposals have
resulted in annual savings and net revenue gains to the state.




   WHEREAS, Section 19823 of the Government Code authorizes the
Department of Human Resources to make awards to current or retired
state employees who propose procedures or ideas that are subsequently
adopted and placed in effect and result in eliminating or reducing
state expenditures or improving state operations; and
   WHEREAS, Any award granted under Section 19823 of the Government
Code in excess of $5,000 must be approved by concurrent resolution of
the Legislature; and
   WHEREAS, As described below, three individuals should be awarded
for their effective, cost-saving ideas; and
   WHEREAS, The Case Record Unit of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation (CDCR) is responsible for calculating the release
dates of convicted offenders serving prison time. The information is
recorded on a calculation form. The unit was using the Offender Based
Information System (OBIS), which was developed in the 1970s, as a
primary automated system for storing offender data. However, OBIS was
not able to automatically factor in the new sentencing laws enacted
in the 1990s; and
   WHEREAS, Court decisions complicated the release date calculations
for violent and habitual offenders. Approximately 30,000 cases had
to be recalculated. For each record, staff had to manually perform
9-12 calculations and 23-31 entries using paper, pencil, and a desk
calculator. A miscalculated offender release date was the serious
consequence of any error; and
   WHEREAS, Andrew Brown, a Correctional Officer and Permanent
Intermittent Correctional Case Records Analyst, suggested that CDCR
automate the Earliest Possible Release Date and the Minimum Eligible
Parole Date. Mr. Brown created an Excel spreadsheet that simplified
the process of calculating release dates, reduced the chance of
error, and created a more professional document. This suggestion
reduced the possibility of errors and increased productivity; and
   WHEREAS, The annual savings to CDCR in staff time was $133,198.
Mr. Brown's approved award was $26,640. Mr. Brown has received the
initial $5,000 and this resolution is needed to award Mr. Brown the
$21,640 balance. This idea has not only improved efficiency at CDCR,
it also safeguards the citizens of California from the possible
erroneous release of a violent offender; and
   WHEREAS, The State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) mails
a consumer guide monthly to Medi-Cal beneficiaries to help them
choose the best health care plan for themselves and their families.
The comparison charts in the County of Sacramento and the County of
San Diego guides were four pages and each guide weighed two ounces;
and
   WHEREAS, Kathleen Simpson, a Staff Information Systems Analyst
with DHCS, suggested reformatting the two guides. The reformatting
reduced the mailing weight of each guide from two ounces to one and
also reduced the printing costs. As a result of these reductions,
DHCS realized an annual cost savings of $48,233.36. Ms. Simpson's
award was $9,646.67. Ms. Simpson has received the initial $5,000 and
this resolution is needed to award Ms. Simpson the $4,646.67 balance
for this idea; and
   WHEREAS, Mr. Wayne Stalie, an Equipment Maintenance Supervisor at
CDCR, suggested two institutions, the California State Prison,
Corcoran and the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility,
Corcoran, eliminate their contracted trash service and instead
utilize existing staff and resources to share trash collection costs
and services. CDCR recently noted that the two institutions have
continued to save money with this resourceful idea; and
   WHEREAS, The documented first year savings were $434,226. Mr.
Stalie's approved award was $43,423. Mr. Stalie has received the
initial $5,000 and this resolution is needed to award Mr. Stalie the
$38,423 balance; and
   WHEREAS, The savings generated by implementation of these
suggestions will continue to be realized on an annual basis; and
   WHEREAS, As a result of actual savings generated from the
implementation of these suggestions, it is unnecessary to appropriate
additional funds for payment of awards to these employees; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
hereby declares that merit award payments, authorized by the
five-member Merit Award Board and the Department of Human Resources,
are hereby made in amounts up to and including 10 or 20 percent of
the first-year savings generated by each suggestion, as follows:
   (a) To Andrew Brown in the amount of $21,640.
   (b) To Kathleen Simpson in the amount of $4,646.67.
   (c) To Wayne Stalie in the amount of $38,423; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Controller and to the Department of Human
Resources.