(a) In addition to any other sick leave bank established for state employees, there is hereby established the sick leave bank for the employees of the legislative branch of the state government. Sick leave accumulated by such employees pursuant to the provisions of part 8 of this chapter or otherwise may be donated to the bank. The legislative sick leave bank shall be for catastrophic or acute illnesses for full-time legislative employees, but participation in such sick leave bank shall not prohibit or restrict any legislative employee from participation in any other sick leave bank for state employees.

(b) The speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives may establish a sick leave bank upon petition of ten (10) legislative employees requesting the establishment of a sick leave bank and upon approval of a sick leave bank plan.

(c)

(1) The sick leave bank shall be administrated by an advisory group composed of the director of legislative administration or designee, the director of legal services or designee, the executive director of fiscal review or designee, a full-time senate employee appointed by the speaker of the senate, and a full-time house of representatives employee appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. Any designee shall be approved by the speakers.

(2) The advisory group shall approve or reject each request for additional sick leave.

(3)

(A) Such group shall prepare and submit to the speakers a sick leave bank plan for the operation of such bank within fifteen (15) days of the establishment of such bank. Such plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(i) Eligibility and procedural requirements for application for and granting of bank sick leave days;

(ii) A requirement that an individual exhaust all accumulated sick leave, annual leave and compensatory leave time before utilizing sick leave bank time;

(iii) Procedures for an employee to make specific sick leave contributions for and designations of the recipients of such leave;

(iv) Amount of time which may be withdrawn from the bank by one (1) employee on account of one (1) illness;

(v) Procedures for returning donated sick leave to the donors;

(vi) Procedures and forms for the operation of the bank.

(B) The group shall consider written suggestions of legislative employees in the development of the plan and in changes to the plan prior to submitting them to the speakers.

(d) All records of the sick leave bank and minutes of advisory group meetings shall be kept by the office of legislative administration.