S-1679.1                   _______________________________________________

                                      SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8406

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators M. Rasmussen, Loveland, Barr, Haugen, Winsley, Anderson, Moyer, Prentice, Deccio, Bauer, Spanel, Skratek, Snyder, Franklin and Hochstatter

Read first time 02/17/93.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

Creating a committee for agricultural housing and benefits.

          WHEREAS, Agriculture is the largest industry in the state of Washington; and

          WHEREAS, Agricultural employees provide a vital service to the citizens of the state by facilitating the production, packing, processing, transporting, and marketing of agricultural products; and

          WHEREAS, Living conditions for farmworkers is of utmost interest to the state; and

          WHEREAS, The need for affordable housing is estimated to be at least twenty-five thousand units; and

          WHEREAS, Consideration of the extension of other benefits of employment such as health care, day care, and special educational needs to farmworkers is of importance and concern to both growers and farmworkers; and

          WHEREAS, The need for affordable housing and other benefits is not being met without economic incentives;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a committee on agricultural housing and benefits be created, composed of sixteen members as follows:  Eight members of the legislature consisting of the chair and ranking member of the Senate agriculture committee, the chair and ranking member of the Senate labor and commerce committee, the chair and ranking member of the House of Representatives agriculture and rural development committee, and the chair and ranking member of the House of Representatives commerce and labor committee; and eight additional members selected by the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives, including:  Three representatives of the agricultural community involved in providing farmworker housing; three representatives of the farmworker community; one representative of private nonprofit farmworker housing organizations; and one representative of the building industry; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That there shall be no reimbursement to nonlegislative committee members for committee activities; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall explore all aspects of the need for adequate farmworker housing, health care benefits, day care, special educational needs, and the appropriateness and need for a grievance board to handle any disputes on this subject in light of the unique needs of the agricultural industry; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 31, 1993; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall be terminated January 10, 1994.

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