Page 617

_ 617 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 469. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 the employee or class of employees receiving the supplement and the chief executive officer of the local governing body. Such agreement shall also be reviewed and approved by the Director of the State Department of Human Resource Management. At a minimum, the agreement shall specify the percent of state salary or fixed amount of the supplement, the resultant total salary of the employee or class of employees, the frequency and method of payment to the agency of the supplement, and whether or not such supplement shall be included in the employee's state benefit calculations. A copy of the agreement shall be made available annually to all employees receiving the supplement. The receipt of a local salary supplement shall not subject employees to any personnel or payroll rules and practices other than those promulgated by the State Department of Human Resource Management. E. The Governor is hereby authorized to transfer funds from agency appropriations to the accounts of participating state employees in such amounts as may be necessary to match the contributions of the qualified participating employees, consistent with the requirements of the Code of Virginia governing the deferred compensation cash match program. Such transfers shall be made consistent with the following: 1. The maximum cash match provided to eligible employees shall not be less than $20.00 per pay period, or $40.00 per month, in each year of the biennium. The Governor may direct the agencies of the Commonwealth to utilize funds contained within their existing appropriations to meet these requirements. 2. The Governor may direct agencies supported in whole or in part with nongeneral funds to utilize existing agency appropriations to meet these requirements. Such nongeneral revenues and balances are hereby appropriated for this purpose, subject to the provisions of § 4-2.01 b of this act. The use of such nongeneral funds shall be consistent with any existing conditions and restrictions otherwise placed upon such nongeneral funds. 3. The procurement of services related to the implementation of this program shall be governed by standards set forth in § 51.1-124.30 C, Code of Virginia, and shall not be subject to the provisions of Chapter 7 (§ 11-35 et seq.), Title 11, Code of Virginia. F. The Secretary of Administration, in conjunction with the Secretary of Finance, may establish a program that allows for the sharing of cost savings from improved productivity, efficiency, and performance with agencies and employees. Such gain sharing programs require a management philosophy of open communication encouraging employee participation; a system which seeks, evaluates and implements employee input on increasing productivity; and a formula for measuring productivity gains and sharing these gains between employees and the agency. The Department of Human Resource Management, in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Budget, shall develop specific gain sharing program guidelines for use by agencies. The Department of Human Resource Management shall provide to the Governor, the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees an annual report no later than October 1 of each year detailing identified savings and their usage. G.1. Out of the appropriation for this Item, amounts estimated at $39,621,717 the first year and $39,621,717 $80,484,610 the second year from the general fund shall be transferred to state agencies and institutions of higher education to support the general fund portion of costs associated with changes in the employer's share of premiums paid for the Commonwealth's health benefit plans. 2. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, the health benefit plans for state employees resulting from the additional funding in this Item shall allow for a portion of employee medical premiums to be charged to employees. 3. The Department of Human Resource Management shall explore options within the health insurance plan for state employees to promote value-based health choices aimed at creating greater employee satisfaction with lower overall health care costs. It is the General Assembly's intent that any savings associated with this employee health care initiative be retained and used towards funding state employee salary or fringe benefit cost increases. 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be the sole responsibility and