(a) Notwithstanding Sections 18523, 18900, 18901, 18930, 18930.5, 18931, 18933, 18936, 18937, 18938.5, 18939, 18950, 19050, 19052, 19054, 19054.1, 19057, 19057.1, 19057.2, 19057.4, 19081, and 19101, or any other provision of law, but consistent with the merit principles of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article VII of the California Constitution, the Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority may assign persons to classifications and ranges, conduct examinations, and make appointments as specified by this section. The purpose of this section is to improve the management of the Legislative Data Center, a division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, and to provide the Legislative Counsel Bureau with greater flexibility and adaptability reflective of the information technology profession.

(b) The Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority may, as a consolidation of the information technology classifications otherwise available to the bureau, utilize the band classifications of information systems supervisor/manager, information technology specialist, and information technician, as available to the bureau on January 1, 2003, under the demonstration project described in Section 1 of the act that added this section, as those classifications may subsequently be modified by the State Personnel Board, or into other information technology classifications established by the State Personnel Board. Each of these band classifications is hereby divided into the ranges that existed in that classification on January 1, 2003, under that demonstration project, which ranges may be modified as provided for by the State Personnel Board, including the delegation of authority to the Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority.

(c) Through the delegation of authority to the Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority or otherwise, the State Personnel Board shall provide for the allocation, as appropriate, of employees of the bureau having civil service status to the appropriate classification and range authorized pursuant to this section and shall grant to each employee the same civil service status in that classification and range without further examination.

(d) The Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority may conduct competitive examinations on a position-by-position basis for the information technology classifications described in this section and make appointments for information technology positions either in the manner described in Article 6 (commencing with Section 549.70) of Subchapter 4 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations in effect on January 1, 2003, or in any other manner approved by the State Personnel Board. In its exercise of authority under this subdivision pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 549.70) of Subchapter 4 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations, the Legislative Counsel Bureau appointing authority shall rank each examination candidate in the manner specified in Article 4 (commencing with Section 548.30) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 548.40) of Subchapter 2 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 183, Sec. 141. Effective January 1, 2005.)