Personal services contracts: state employees: physician and psychologist positions.

Assembly Members Connolly and Addis propose new requirements for state departments hiring contract physicians and psychologists, mandating cost comparisons between contractors and civil service employees before finalizing personal services contracts. The measure applies to physician positions in State Bargaining Unit 16 and psychologist positions in State Bargaining Unit 19 within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the State Department of State Hospitals.

Under the proposal, departments must analyze hourly costs using current collective bargaining agreement rates to compare contractor expenses with civil service employee costs. When contractor costs exceed those of civil service positions, departments must utilize available civil service physicians or psychologists rather than external contractors. The measure establishes annual reporting requirements, with both departments submitting details by January 15 each year to the relevant bargaining units and legislative budget committees on the number of analyses conducted, contractors employed, and civil service staff utilization.

The requirements create a standardized process for evaluating staffing decisions while maintaining records of contractor and civil service employment patterns. This data collection enables legislative oversight of medical staffing practices within state correctional and mental health facilities through regular reporting to budget committees in both chambers.