WHEREAS, Section 19823 of the Government Code authorizes the Department of Human Resources to make awards to current or retired state employees who propose procedures or ideas that are subsequently adopted and placed in effect and result in eliminating or reducing state expenditures or improving state operations; and

WHEREAS, Any award granted under Section 19823 of the Government Code in excess of $5,000 must be approved by concurrent resolution of the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, As described below, three individuals should be awarded for their effective, cost-saving ideas; and

WHEREAS, The Case Record Unit of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is responsible for calculating the release dates of convicted offenders serving prison time. The information is recorded on a calculation form. The unit was using the Offender Based Information System (OBIS), which was developed in the 1970s, as a primary automated system for storing offender data. However, OBIS was not able to automatically factor in the new sentencing laws enacted in the 1990s; and

WHEREAS, Court decisions complicated the release date calculations for violent and habitual offenders. Approximately 30,000 cases had to be recalculated. For each record, staff had to manually perform 9-12 calculations and 23-31 entries using paper, pencil, and a desk calculator. A miscalculated offender release date was the serious consequence of any error; and

WHEREAS, Andrew Brown, a Correctional Officer and Permanent Intermittent Correctional Case Records Analyst, suggested that CDCR automate the Earliest Possible Release Date and the Minimum Eligible Parole Date. Mr. Brown created an Excel spreadsheet that simplified the process of calculating release dates, reduced the chance of error, and created a more professional document. This suggestion reduced the possibility of errors and increased productivity; and

WHEREAS, The annual savings to CDCR in staff time was $133,198. Mr. Browns approved award was $26,640. Mr. Brown has received the initial $5,000 and this resolution is needed to award Mr. Brown the $21,640 balance. This idea has not only improved efficiency at CDCR, it also safeguards the citizens of California from the possible erroneous release of a violent offender; and

WHEREAS, The State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) mails a consumer guide monthly to Medi-Cal beneficiaries to help them choose the best health care plan for themselves and their families. The comparison charts in the County of Sacramento and the County of San Diego guides were four pages and each guide weighed two ounces; and

WHEREAS, Kathleen Simpson, a Staff Information Systems Analyst with DHCS, suggested reformatting the two guides. The reformatting reduced the mailing weight of each guide from two ounces to one and also reduced the printing costs. As a result of these reductions, DHCS realized an annual cost savings of $48,233.36. Ms. Simpsons award was $9,646.67. Ms. Simpson has received the initial $5,000 and this resolution is needed to award Ms. Simpson the $4,646.67 balance for this idea; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Wayne Stalie, an Equipment Maintenance Supervisor at CDCR, suggested two institutions, the California State Prison, Corcoran and the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, Corcoran, eliminate their contracted trash service and instead utilize existing staff and resources to share trash collection costs and services. CDCR recently noted that the two institutions have continued to save money with this resourceful idea; and

WHEREAS, The documented first year savings were $434,226. Mr. Stalies approved award was $43,423. Mr. Stalie has received the initial $5,000 and this resolution is needed to award Mr. Stalie the $38,423 balance; and

WHEREAS, The savings generated by implementation of these suggestions will continue to be realized on an annual basis; and

WHEREAS, As a result of actual savings generated from the implementation of these suggestions, it is unnecessary to appropriate additional funds for payment of awards to these employees; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California hereby declares that merit award payments, authorized by the five-member Merit Award Board and the Department of Human Resources, are hereby made in amounts up to and including 10 or 20 percent of the first-year savings generated by each suggestion, as follows:

(a)To Andrew Brown in the amount of $21,640.

(b)To Kathleen Simpson in the amount of $4,646.67.

(c)To Wayne Stalie in the amount of $38,423; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Controller and to the Department of Human Resources.

ACR 98: State employee merit awards.

Senate Floor

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