02/13/03 0201s

2003 SESSION

03-0276

05/09

SENATE BILL 16-FN

AN ACT establishing the governor's incentive and reward program.

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes the governor's incentive and reward program in which state employees may receive monetary recognition for original suggestions to improve government operations or non-monetary recognition for extraordinary service in the interest of the state.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02/13/03 0201s

03-0276

05/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT establishing the governor's incentive and reward program.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

200:1 Governor's Incentive and Reward Program. RSA 99-E is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

CHAPTER 99-E

GOVERNOR'S INCENTIVE AND REWARD PROGRAM

99-E:1 Committee.

I. There is hereby established an evaluation committee to review employee suggestions and extraordinary service and to make awards.

II. The committee shall consist of:

(a) The director of personnel, who shall serve as chairperson.

(b) The commissioner of administrative services, or designee.

(c) Two members, appointed by the governor, who shall serve 2-year terms, one of whom shall be selected from a list provided by a certified public employee bargaining unit.

(d) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate president, who shall serve a term coterminous with the member's legislative term.

(e) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall serve a term coterminous with the member's legislative term.

III. The committee shall submit to the governor and the general court an annual report of its activities, including employees recognized and rewarded, and efficiencies realized. The report shall be submitted by October 1 of each year.

99-E:2 Awards. The committee shall recommend to the governor and council that awards be given to state employees as follows:

I. Monetary awards for original suggestions to improve government cost savings or efficiency; or

II. Non-monetary recognition for extraordinary service in the interest of the state. Any state employee shall be eligible based on a suggestion or service that is outside or beyond the employee's regular responsibilities or performance standards.

99-E:3 Administration of Monetary Awards Program.

I. A state employee interested in receiving a monetary award under RSA 99-E:2, I shall submit in writing an original proposal to the committee and the commissioner of administrative services. The written proposal shall include the employee's name, position, department, and the date and time of filing. Employees may jointly submit one proposal. If the same proposal is submitted more than once, the first to submit the written proposal to the committee and to the commissioner of administrative services shall be entitled to any award.

II. Within 90 days of receiving the proposal, the commissioner of administrative services shall inform the employee in writing whether the committee recommends that the proposal be implemented or not, or whether more information is needed.

III. Within 6 months of implementation, the department of administrative services shall determine the amount of cost savings resulting from implementation of the employee's original proposal.

IV. The committee shall submit all proposals to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the senate, whether the proposals were implemented or not.

99-E:4 Amount of Monetary Awards.

I. An employee who is eligible for a monetary award under RSA 99-E:2 shall receive, at the discretion of the governor and council, a one-time award of either $10,000 or 10 percent of the cost savings in the first year of implementation of the proposal, whichever is less.

II. An amount equal to the monetary award shall be paid from the department's budget during the first fiscal year of implementation. Any remaining savings shall lapse to the general fund. If the department is self-funding, the award shall be paid from the department's operating budget. The department head shall certify any amounts so appropriated to the director of personnel for transfer and payment to the employee.

99-E:5 Non-monetary Recognition. A state employee shall be eligible for recognition under RSA 99-E:2, II based on the recommendation of the employee's supervisor or department head, for extraordinary suggestions or services in the interest of the state which are beyond the employee's regular responsibilities or performance standards. The committee, in conjunction with the employee's supervisor, shall determine the appropriate form of non-monetary recognition to which the employee is entitled.

99-E:6 Entitlement. No person shall have any vested rights to recognition or award under this chapter.

200:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

(Approved: June 30, 2003)

(Effective Date: June 30, 2003)