AN ACT Relating to education; creating new sections; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of sections 2 through 10 of this act is to address the need for an orderly and comprehensive approach to state-level coordination and planning of vocational education programs by providing a transition period following the termination of the commission for vocational education on June 30, 1987, as provided in RCW 43.131.287 and 43.131.288.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) There is hereby established a task force on vocational education appointed jointly by the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the director of the state board of community college education. The task force on vocational education shall be comprised of the following:

(a) An equal number of representatives from agriculture, business, labor, and community-based organizations;

(b) One representative of private vocational schools;

(d) One person involved in public postsecondary vocational education.

(2) The task force on vocational education shall meet at least once each month between the effective date of this section and December 31, 1987. The task force shall organize in a manner determined by its members for the purpose of recommending to the legislature in January, 1988, in the form of proposed legislation, a proposal to establish a state board of vocational education. In making its recommendation, the task force will address issues including, but not limited to: The composition and appointment of the state board of vocational education; the powers and duties of the state board of vocational education; the relationship between the state board of vocational education, the state board of education, and the state board for community college education; and the process for developing a comprehensive plan for coordinated vocational education programs throughout the state educational system.

(3) Task force members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. Staff support for the task force shall be provided as necessary by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and such other state agencies as may be required.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The transfer of functions to the office of the superintendent of public instruction in sections 4 through 7 of this act and under section 10 of this act is intended to be a temporary measure to ensure that programs and duties of the commission for vocational education will be continued and such transfer shall be in effect until such time as a state board for vocational education is established. Such transfer shall be effective only until June 30, 1988.

The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall carry out such transferred duties by interagency agreement with the state board for community college education and other appropriate state agencies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the commission for vocational education shall be delivered to the custody of the office of the superintendent of public instruction. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the commission for vocational education shall be made available to the office of the superintendent of public instruction. All funds, credits, or other assets held by the commission for vocational education shall be assigned to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

Any appropriations made to the commission for vocational education shall, on the effective date of this section, be transferred and credited to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the state agencies concerned.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Employees of the commission for vocational education, except the director and the deputy director, engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred to the office of the superintendent of public instruction are transferred to the jurisdiction of the office of the superintendent of public instruction. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the office of the superintendent of public instruction to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. All rules and all pending business before the commission for vocational education shall be continued and acted upon by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the commission for vocational education shall not affect the validity of any act performed by such employee prior to the effective date of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by sections 4 through 7 of this act, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Nothing contained in sections 4 through 7 of this act may be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining agreement until the bargaining unit has been modified by action of the personnel board as provided by law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. In addition to the vocational education responsibilities transferred in sections 4 through 7 of this act, the office of the superintendent shall have the following powers and duties related to vocational education:

(1) To act as the state liaison with the federal government to ensure that federal requirements, including those under the Carl D. Perkins vocational education act of 1984, as amended, are met;

(2) To administer the activities mandated by the Carl D. Perkins vocational education act of 1984, as amended; and

(3) To act as the sole state agency for the receipt and allocation of federal vocational education funds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1987.