Senate Bill S7931

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7931

SPONSOR: GOLDEN
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to
promotional examination eligibility

 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

This bill would amend the Civil Service Law ("CSL") to eliminate the
requirement that the Department of Civil Service ("Department") hold an
open-competitive examination to allow non-competitive and labor class
employees to compete in a competitive class promotion examination.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would amend CSL § 52(11) to remove the requirement
that an open-competitive examination must be held in conjunction with a
competitive class promotion examination in order for noncompetitive and
labor class employees to compete in such a promotion examination. For
titles that exist in only one agency, the bill would require the Depart-
ment to secure the agreement of such agency before extending the eligi-
              

bility to take the promotional examination to these additional candi-
dates.

Section 2 of the bill would make the bill effective immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Current law requires the Department to hold an open-competitive examina-
tion in conjunction with a competitive class promotion examination in
order for non-competitive and labor class employees to compete in such a
promotion examination.

There are circumstances where non-competitive and labor class employees
serve in positions which would logically prepare them for promotion to
competitive class positions. This proposal would reduce a redundancy
inherent in the present merit and fitness system by allowing State
employees in noncompetitive or labor class positions, who have already
established their merit and fitness in their current position and other-
wise meet the qualifications for appointment, to compete for positions
in the competitive class.

Eliminating this redundancy would provide cost savings associated with
holding an open-competitive examination, as well as accelerate hiring
highly-qualified diverse candidates and enhance career mobility opportu-
nities within State government.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

There would be cost savings associated with eliminating the need to
process additional examinations.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately.