Amendment #46 to H4000

Highly Paid State Employee Compensation Study

Representatives Jones of North Reading, Peterson of Grafton, Hill of Ipswich, Poirier of North Attleborough and deMacedo of Plymouth move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

“SECTION XX.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a public employment commission consisting of the following members: the chair of the senate committee on post audit and oversight, who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; the chair of the house committee on post audit and oversight, who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; the vice-chair of the senate committee on post audit and oversight; the vice-chair of the house committee on post audit and oversight; the ranking minority member of the senate committee on post audit and oversight; the ranking minority member of the house committee on post audit and oversight; the chief officer of the human resources division, or his designee; the chief justice for administration and management, or his designee; the state auditor, or his designee; the state inspector general, or his designee; and the secretary for administration and finance, or his designee.  The commission shall conduct a comprehensive review and evaluation of public employment and compensation in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to: a comparison of public employees with salaries above $100,000 in the current fiscal year and the change in the number of such employees for each of the previous 10 fiscal years across all branches, offices, departments, agencies and authorities of the commonwealth; a comparison of the job titles or classifications of public employees with salaries above $100,000 and the disparities, if any, between such employees and employees with similar titles or classifications across all branches, offices, departments, agencies and authorities of the commonwealth; and the change in staffing levels of all branches, offices, departments, agencies and authorities of the commonwealth for the previous 10 fiscal years.  The commission shall consider the potential cost or savings that may be realized by standardizing staffing levels, job titles, salaries, and job classifications throughout state government and its subdivisions.  The commission shall also consider the best practices of other states or governmental entities, and any applicable private sector employers deemed applicable with regard to employment.  The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to carry those recommendations into effect by filing the same with the governor, the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, and the house and senate committees on ways and means, not later than March 30, 2015.”.