HF3606 Summary

• Abolishes the Departments of Employment and Economic Development and Labor and Industry, and downsizes the Department of Commerce by eliminating the financial exam division and market insurance division.

• Establishes a task force within 60 days to develop recommendations for reorganizing state business and employment services, with representatives from managerial staff, employees, business, labor, higher education, and legislative appointees, due by January 15, 2011.

• Requires establishment of employee participation committees by July 1, 2010 in affected agencies to identify reorganization tasks, address employer-employee issues, plan employee retraining, and guide implementation.

• Mandates the governor reduce deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, and unclassified management positions to generate specified savings in the biennia ending June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2015.

• Requires the governor's budget for the biennium beginning July 2, 2011 to fund abolished functions at levels at least equal to fiscal years 2010-2011 adjusted for inflation, plus substantial increases for staff development.