(1)(a) The minimum monthly salary paid to state patrol troopers and sergeants must be competitive with law enforcement agencies within the boundaries of the state of Washington, guided by the results of a survey undertaken in the collective bargaining process during each biennium. Compensation must be calculated using base salary, premium pay (a pay received by more than a majority of employees), education pay, and longevity pay. The compensation comparison data is based on the Washington state patrol and the law enforcement agencies listed in this section. Increases for sergeants will be extended to the salary levels for captains and lieutenants through the collective bargaining process to ensure proportionality of increases.

(b)(i) Until July 1, 2028, the comparisons for determining competitiveness with other law enforcement agency salary levels must be guided by the average of compensation paid to the corresponding rank from the Seattle police department, King county sheriff’s office, Tacoma police department, Snohomish county sheriff’s office, Spokane police department, and Vancouver police department.

(ii) Beginning July 1, 2028, the comparisons for determining competitiveness with other law enforcement agency salary levels must be guided by the average of compensation paid to the corresponding rank from the Seattle police department, King county sheriff’s office, Tacoma police department, Snohomish county sheriff’s office, Spokane police department, and Vancouver police department, unless the office of financial management determines that one or more agencies should be replaced in this comparison with another law enforcement agency pursuant to the periodic evaluation process specified in (b)(iii) of this subsection.

(iii) By January 1, 2028, and each decade thereafter, the office of financial management must conduct an evaluation of the six agencies that are relevant for comparison to ensure state patrol troopers and sergeant salary levels are competitive with other law enforcement agencies within the boundaries of the state of Washington. If the office of financial management determines that one or more agencies specified in (b)(ii) of this subsection should be replaced in this comparison with a different law enforcement agency that is more relevant to ensure salary competitiveness, the office of financial management may utilize that revised compensation comparison data in the survey undertaken in the collective bargaining process during each biennium.

(2) By December 1, 2024, as part of the salary survey required in this section, the office of financial management must report to the governor and transportation committees of the legislature on the efficacy of Washington state patrol recruitment and retention efforts. Using the results of the 2016 salary survey as the baseline data, the report must include an analysis of voluntary resignations of state patrol troopers and sergeants and a comparison of state patrol academy class sizes and trooper graduations.

Intent—2016 c 28: “It is the intent of the legislature to recruit and retain the highest qualified commissioned officers of the Washington state patrol appointed under RCW 43.43.020. The “Joint Transportation Committee Recruitment and Retention Study” dated January 7, 2016, outlines several recommendations to fulfill this intent. The study recommendations were broken down into several areas, with the Washington state patrol, office of financial management, select committee on pension policy, and the legislature all supporting their respective authorizations and control over their respective areas of responsibility and accountability. It is also the intent of the legislature in the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium to increase the thirty dollar vehicle license fee distribution to the state patrol for the salaries and benefits of state patrol officers, including troopers, sergeants, lieutenants, and captains, and make adjustments as needed in the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.” [ 2016 c 28 § 1.]