SB 879 Summary

• Approves memoranda of understanding between the state and three employee bargaining units (State Bargaining Unit 2, 10, and 13) entered into in August 2014, allowing these provisions to take effect outside the annual Budget Act.

• Appropriates $18.1 million for fiscal year 2014-15 to fund compensation increases: $12.6 million for Unit 2, $3.1 million for Unit 10, and $2.4 million for Unit 13, from the General Fund, special funds, and nongovernmental cost funds.

• Appropriates $10.2 million for State Bargaining Unit 8 (California Department of Forestry Firefighters) for a general salary increase effective January 1, 2015.

• Establishes continuous appropriations for employee compensation in fiscal years 2015-16 and 2016-17 if the Budget Act is not enacted by July 1 in those fiscal years, allowing the Controller to pay employees for work performed until the budget is passed.

• Requires that all funded provisions take effect only if funds are specifically appropriated or already available; allows parties to renegotiate if provisions are not fully funded by the Legislature.