02/27/1996 03:36 PM Senate STA

 SSTA - 2/27/96                                                                
                                                                               
      HB 321 EMERGENCY DISASTER HIRES IN EXEMPT SERVICE                      
                                                                               
 TAPE 96-15, SIDE A                                                            
                                                                               
 Number 001                                                                    
                                                                               
 VICE-CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS called the Senate State Affairs                  
 Committee to order at 3:36 p.m. and brought up HB 321 as the first            
 order of business before the committee.  The vice-chairman informed           
 the committee that Chairman Sharp is away at a funeral and so is              
 unable to attend today's committee meeting.  He informed the                  
 committee that the chairman asked that no action be taken on bills            
 today.  The vice-chairman called the first witness.                           
                                                                               
 Number 030                                                                    
                                                                               
 GEORGE DOZIER, JR., Aide to Representative Pete Kott, Co-Chairman             
 of the House Special Committee on Military & Veterans' Affairs,               
 prime sponsor of HB 321, stated the bill would permit the                     
 Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs to hire emergency                  
 workers in the exempt service.  Currently, when the division needs            
 to hire additional personnel to work a disaster it has two options.           
 One, it can hire individuals as immediate emergency hires for 30              
 days maximum.   Two, it can hire individuals on a short or long-              
 term temporary basis, but it takes 2-45 days to hire individuals in           
 that classification.  This bill would allow the division to hire              
 individuals to assist classified employees in disaster situations.            
 Mr. Dozier relayed other information also contained in the                    
 sponsor's statement.                                                          
                                                                               
 Number 062                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN referred to the letter from Commissioner Lestenkof of           
 DMVA.                                                                         
                                                                               
 MR. DOZIER commented that Representative Kott is just friendly,               
 period.                                                                       
 SENATOR LEMAN asked how many other friendly legislators there are.            
                                                                               
 SENATOR DUNCAN made a motion to discharge HB 321 from the Senate              
 State Affairs Committee.                                                      
                                                                               
 VICE-CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS replied he cannot move the bill                  
 because of the chairman's request.                                            
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN asked if Chairman Sharp really wanted HB 321 held.              
                                                                               
 VICE-CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS responded the chairman wants all the             
 bills held.                                                                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR DUNCAN withdrew his motion to discharge HB 321.                       
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN asked if Ms. Carroll wanted to speak; she's friendly            
 too.                                                                          
                                                                               
 VICE-CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS informed Ms. Carroll that if she wants           
 to testify, she must sign the witness register.                               
                                                                               
 Number 090                                                                    
                                                                               
 CAROL CARROLL, Director, Administrative & Support Services                    
 Division, Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs, stated HB 321           
 would really assist the department while in the initial response to           
 a disaster.                                                                   
                                                                               
 Number 101                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN asked what the policy is when the emergency no longer           
 exists: are these employees terminated?  Are they paid on an hourly           
 basis?                                                                        
                                                                               
 MS. CARROLL responded that these employees are paid on an hourly              
 basis.  The only people kept on after the emergency has subsided              
 are the financial people.                                                     
                                                                               
 Number 130                                                                    
                                                                               
 VICE-CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS informed the committee that HB 321               
 would be held.