BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                          SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                               Gloria Romero, Chair
                            2009-2010 Regular Session
                                         

          BILL NO:       AB 1293
          AUTHOR:        Hall
          INTRODUCED:    February 27, 2009
          FISCAL COMM:   No             HEARING DATE:  June 17, 2009
          URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:Kathleen Chavira

           SUBJECT  :  Public School Employees
          
           SUMMARY  

          This bill extends the current authority granted to the Los  
          Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to fill vacancies in  
          specified job classifications from ranks other than the top  
          three ranks of an employment list, under specified  
          conditions, to include an additional nine job  
          classifications.  

           BACKGROUND  

          Current law, until January 1, 2012, authorizes the Los  
          Angeles Unified School District to fill vacancies in  
          specified job classifications from ranks other than the top  
          three ranks of an employment list if specialized licenses,  
          certifications, knowledge, or ability that cannot reasonably  
          be acquired during the probationary period or a specific  
          gender is required.  Current law applies this authority to  
          specified classifications of employees that include:

               1.        Administrative analyst.
               2.        Administrative assistant.
               3.        Assistant contract administration analyst. 
               4.        Assistant realty agent. 
               5.        Contracts administration analyst.
               6.        Educational research analyst.
               7.        Financial analyst. 
               8.        Grants specialist.
               9.        Health care advocate.
               10.       Human resources specialist III.
               11.       Insurance representative II.
               12.       Insurance representative III.
               13.       Occupational health nurse.




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               14.       Parent community facilitator.
               15.       Senior internal auditor.
               16.       Web developer.
               17.       Any classifications that have been designated  
                    as management. 



           ANALYSIS
           
           This bill  :

          1)   Modifies existing law that authorizes a school district  
               with a pupil population of over 400,000 to fill  
               vacancies in specified job classifications from ranks  
               other than the top three ranks of an employment list if  
               specialized licenses, certifications, knowledge, or  
               ability that cannot reasonably be acquired during the  
               probationary period or a specific gender is required.

          2)   Adds the following nine job classifications to the list  
               of positions to which the LAUSD may apply the authority  
               noted in #1.

               a)        Accountant. 
               b)        Assistant contracts supervisor.
               c)        Contract assistant.
               d)        Coordinating contract assistant.
               e)        Principal Financial Analyst.
               f)        Principal administrative analyst.
               g)        Senior administrative analyst.
               h)        Senior administrative assistant.
               i)        Senior financial analyst. 

           STAFF COMMENTS  

           1)   Background of current law  .  The unique selection process  
               established for the Los Angeles Unified School District  
               was originally authorized by AB 424 (Richman, Chapter  
               881, Statutes of 2003).  At that time, it was argued  
               that this change in the law would provide efficiencies,  
               economies and flexibility in the examination and  
               selection process for classified employees of the Los  
               Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and would reduce  
               costs and expedite the hiring process of classified  
               employees.  Furthermore, given the size and large  




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               geographic area of LAUSD, it would provide the needed  
               flexibility to hire qualified personnel and reduce the  
               time to fill vacancies.

           2)   Prior legislation  . AB 580 (Smyth, Chapter 528, Statutes  
               of 2007) required the LAUSD to report to the affected  
               labor unions, as specified, on its use of this authority  
               and extended the sunset on the authority granted by  
               original legislation from 2006 to 2012.  AB 415  
               (Karnette, Chapter 186, Statutes of 2008) expanded the  
               eligible classifications to include any classifications  
               that have been designated as management.               

           SUPPORT  

          Los Angeles Unified School District Personnel Commission

           OPPOSITION

           None received.