BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT & RETIREMENT BILL NO: AB 1820 Norma Torres, Chair HEARING DATE: June 23, 2014 AB 1820 (Mullin) as amended 5/01/14 FISCAL: YES STATE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS: ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS AND NOTIFICATIONS HISTORY : Sponsor: Author Other legislation: AB 989 (Mullin), Chapter 459, Statutes of 2013 ASSEMBLY VOTES : PER & SS 6-0 4/23/14 Appropriations 17-0 4/30/14 Assembly Floor 76-0 5/19/14 SUMMARY : AB 1820 requires the state Department of Human Resources (CalHR) and other appointing powers to use electronic means of communications with job applicants who file state employment applications and examinations online. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS : 1)Existing law : a) establishes the state civil service system, which requires a hiring process that is to be based on merit ascertained by competitive examination. b) establishes CalHR, which is the state's human resources department, providing oversight and guidance to state departments and agencies with regard to state hiring practices. c) requires every applicant for examination for state employment to file an application with CalHR or an appointing power designated by CalHR. Many examinations Pamela Schneider Date: June 13, 2014 Page 1 are available to be taken online. In such cases, the examinations are filed online via the CalHR website. 2)This bill : a) requires CalHR or the designated appointing power to do all of the following when an application for examination was filed online: i) provide CalHR's or the designated appointing power's electronic communication address to the applicant; ii) use electronic communication to contact the applicant unless otherwise requested by the applicant; and, iii) inform the applicant that any notifications and his or her score and rank on the examination will be provided using electronic communication unless the applicant specifically requests notification by postal mail. b) makes these requirements operative as of July 1, 2017. FISCAL : According to Assembly Appropriations, "Minor and absorbable costs to CalHR to implement changes, most of which are already consistent with current practice." COMMENTS : 1)Argument in Support : According to the Author: AB 1820 will improve the delivery of employment inquiry notifications and examination scores and ranks because currently such transactions are sent by mail, with no assurance that the information is actually received by the applicant. This bill would allow the applicant to have this information handled by email. If the applicant wishes to continue receiving this information Pamela Schneider Date: June 13, 2014 Page 2 by mail, they could continue to do so. This bill is environmentally and fiscally responsible as it would reduce the need for paper copies of employment inquiry notifications, examination scores and ranks, and reduce the amount of tax-payer dollars departments spend on postage. 2)OPPOSITION : None. ##### Pamela Schneider Date: June 13, 2014 Page 3