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AN ACT concerning salaries and compensation for state officers and em-
  ployees; providing for modification of the pay plan; amending K.S.A.
  1996 Supp. 75-2938 and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
  Section 1.  K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 75-2938 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 75-2938. (a) Except as otherwise provided in the Kansas civil
service act, the director of personnel services, after consultation with the
heads of state agencies or persons designated by them, shall assign each
position in the classified service to a class according to the duties and
responsibilities thereof. Titles shall be specified by the director for each
such class for use in certifying the names of persons for appointment
under this act. A description of the duties and responsibilities with suit-
able qualifications required for satisfactory performance in each class shall
be specified by the director. The classes and titles so specified and de-
scribed shall be used for: (1) Original appointments ; (2) promotions ; (3)
payrolls ; and (4) all other records affecting the status of persons in the
classified service. Each class when approved or modified and approved
as modified by the governor shall take effect on a date or dates specified
by the governor. After consultation with the director of the budget and
the heads of state agencies or persons designated by them, the director
shall recommend changes in classes from time to time, and such changes,
when approved or modified and approved as modified by the governor,
shall take effect on a date or dates specified by the governor.
  (b)  The director of personnel services shall recommend to the gov-
ernor the assignment, and from time to time the reassignment, of each
class to a specified range approved or modified and approved as modified
by the governor, the same shall become effective on a date or dates spec-
ified by the governor. In adopting or revising any plans, the governor shall
give consideration to pertinent rates in other public and private employ-
ment in the appropriate labor markets, and for this purpose the director
shall have made periodic wage and salary surveys with one survey to be
conducted each year. The results of such survey and recommendations
for revisions in the pay plan are to be forwarded to the governor, the
secretary of administration, the director of the budget and the legislature.
The recommendations shall give consideration and weight to survey re-
sults, to changes in the cost-of-living and to proper internal alignment of
the various job classes. The director may use the results of other appro-
priate surveys conducted by public or private agencies in lieu of or in
addition to surveys authorized to be conducted under this subsection.
  (c)  The secretary of administration may delegate the authority to as-
sign positions in the classified service to a class according to the duties
and responsibilities thereof to the appointing authority. Such delegation
shall specify the particular classes, ranges, and schedules authorized. Ap-
pointing authorities delegated such assigning authority shall make
monthly reports of assigning transactions to the director of personnel
services. Any delegation of such authority is subject to review by the
secretary of administration who may modify any delegation made in order
to ensure consistency with the state classification plan and may withdraw
the delegated authority from the appointing authority upon evidence of
improper use of such authority by the appointing authority. The decision
of the secretary of administration in regard to the withdrawal of such
delegated authority shall be final.
  (d)  After consultation with the director of the budget and the sec-
retary of administration, the director of personnel services shall prepare
a pay plan which shall contain a schedule of salary and wage ranges and
steps, and from time to time changes therein. When such pay plan or any
change therein is approved or modified and approved as modified by the
governor, the same shall become effective on a date or dates specified by
the governor and any such modification, change of date shall be in ac-
cordance with any enactments of the legislature applicable thereto.
  (e)  The classes and pay plan for the classified service as approved by
the governor shall be used by the director of the budget in preparation
of the budget.
  (f)  Whenever any appropriation or other act specifies any pay plan or
any change, limitation or condition upon the pay plan, personnel or pol-
icies of the state or any state agency, such appropriation act or other act
shall control the provisions of this section to the extent of their application
thereto.
  (g)  Each employee who has reached the maximum step on the salary
range of the pay plan to which such employee's position is assigned and
who cannot receive a pay increase pursuant to step movement and who
is otherwise eligible for an increase in compensation shall receive an in-
crease by being placed at the step of the next higher salary range of the
pay plan, which will provide the equivalent step increase. The assignment
of job classes to pay ranges of the pay plan for the classified service and
increases in compensation through step movement for classified employees
under the pay plan shall be subject to the provisions of this subsection.
  Sec. 2.  K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 75-2938 is hereby repealed.
  Sec. 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.