PDFRCW 28B.50.465
Cost-of-living increases—Academic employees.
(1) Academic employees of community and technical college districts shall be provided an annual salary cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section.
(a) Every fiscal year each college district shall receive a cost-of-living allocation sufficient to increase academic employee salaries, including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.
(b) A college district shall distribute its cost-of-living allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the end of the fiscal year, each college district shall certify to the college board that it has spent funds provided for cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.
(c) The college board shall include any funded cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine cost-of-living increases for academic employees in subsequent years.
(d) The state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set forth in this section.
(2) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Academic employee" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 28B.52.020.
(b) "Cost-of-living index" means, beginning with the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the implicit price deflator for the previous calendar year as of the beginning of the school year, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of economic analysis, United States department of commerce.
[ 2025 c 344 s 1; 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 2; 2011 1st sp.s. c 18 s 2; 2009 c 573 s 2; 2003 1st sp.s. c 20 s 3; 2001 c 4 s 3 (Initiative Measure No. 732, approved November 7, 2000).]
NOTES:
Effective date—2025 c 344: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2025." [ 2025 c 344 s 3.]
Effective date—2013 2nd sp.s. c 5: See note following RCW 28A.400.205.
Effective date—2011 1st sp.s. c 18: See note following RCW 28A.400.205.
Effective date—2009 c 573: See note following RCW 28A.400.205.
Severability—2001 c 4 (Initiative Measure No. 732): See note following RCW 28A.400.205.