LRB-4044/1

RAC:amn

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 407

June 23, 2021 - Introduced by Joint Committee on Finance. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.

AB407,1,4 An Act to repeal 13.15 (2) (a); to amend 13.15 (2) (title), 13.22, 13.90 (1) (intro.) and 13.90 (1m) (a); and to create 13.97, 20.923 (4) (f) 6f., 20.923 (6) (fm) and 230.08 (2) (fr) of the statutes; relating to: creating a Legislative Human Resources Office.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a Legislative Human Resources Office (LHRO), a nonpartisan legislative service agency, headed by a director. The Joint Committee on Legislative Organization appoints the director and the director reports to JCLO. The director is assigned to executive salary group six, and the director and all LHRO staff hold positions in the unclassified service of the state civil service system. The LHRO must perform all of the following duties:

1. Provide human resources services to the legislative branch, as directed by JCLO.

2. Establish a formal complaint process to review and investigate allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, violence, or bullying by legislators, legislative employees, and legislative service agency employees. The office shall investigate all such allegations, unless the director designates another person or entity to review and investigate any specific allegation.

3. At all times observe the confidential nature of records, requests, advice, complaints, reviews, investigations, disciplinary actions, and other information in its possession relating to human resources matters.

4. Certify to the Department of Administration the payroll for legislative employees in the assembly and senate and for legislative service agency employees.

In addition, under the bill, the LHRO director must perform the following duties: