BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 453
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   March 30, 2011

            ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL 
                                      SECURITY
                              Warren T. Furutani, Chair
                 AB 453 (Skinner) - As Introduced:  February 15, 2011
           
          SUBJECT  :   State employees: scientists.

           SUMMARY  :   Requires a state employee appointed to any state 
          scientist class on or after January 1, 2012 to have the minimum 
          qualification of a baccalaureate degree in a scientific 
          discipline from a foreign or domestic accredited university.  

           EXISTING LAW  does not require state employees hired into 
          scientific classifications to have a four-year degree in a 
          scientific discipline from an accredited university.  However, 
          the minimum qualifications established by the State Personnel 
          Board (SPB) for roughly 220 of the 300 scientific 
          classifications in state service do require four-year degrees in 
          a scientific discipline from an accredited university.  Thus, 
          there are 80 scientific classifications that do not require the 
          scientific degree, consisting of several classifications of 
          biologists, hazardous substance scientists, environmental 
          specialists, ecologists, industrial hygienists and others.  
          Additionally, even when the minimum qualifications do require 
          academic standards, employees may be promoted or otherwise 
          appointed to those positions without meeting such requirements.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :   According to the author, "It is important to ensure 
          that the State's scientists have a scientific background 
          appropriate for their classifications.  In the absence of such a 
          requirement, employees without a degree in a scientific 
          discipline may be eligible for appointment or promotion to state 
          scientist positions."

          Supporters conclude, "This bill ensure that California's 
          scientists in toxicology, air quality, biology, and other 
          disciplines have the specialized expertise required for those 
          positions.

          Opponents state, "By mandating classification and minimum 
          qualifications, the SPB feels that AB 453 infringes on its 








                                                                  AB 453
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          constitutional and statutory authority to prescribe and 
          establish minimum qualifications for civil service 
          classifications." 

          This bill is substantially similar to AB 271 (Blakeslee) of 
          2005, which was not heard by the Senate Committee on Public 
          Employment and Retirement and AB 619 (Wayne) of 2001, which was 
          dropped by the author.

           







          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          California Association of Professional Scientists (Sponsor)

           Opposition 
           
          State Personnel Board
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Karon Green / P.E., R. & S.S. / (916) 
          319-3957