Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 296-17 WAC, General reporting rules, audit and recordkeeping, rates and rating system for Washington workers' compensation insurance, and chapter 296-17A WAC, Classifications for Washington workers' compensation insurance.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 51.16.035.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Chapters 296-17 and 296-17A WAC are reporting and classification rules that establish and maintain how employers must report and pay for industrial insurance premiums.

The department intends to review these chapters and make revisions to:

The purpose of this rule making is not to make substantive changes to how employers are classified, but review and revise the reporting and classification rules to ensure they are accurate, clear and understandable. These amendments will not impact employer reporting or rates.

As part of this rule making, the department also intends to review these chapters as required by SSB 5679 (chapter 30, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess.) to make changes where possible to reduce the regulatory burden on employers insured with the state fund.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other state, local or federal agency regulates this subject.

Process for Developing New Rule: Labor and industries will solicit input from the business community by way of the internet. Labor and industries will use input to formulate proposed changes to the existing rules and advise customers of future rule making by the internet.


•	Update and clarify information and references in multiple classifications in general, and in classifications impacted by the 2018 stores rule making;
•	Correct errors in classification information that occurred in a past rule making;
•	Correct typographical errors; and
•	Implement changes required by chapter 278, Laws of 2018 (SB 6199) passed by the legislature in 2018.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jo Anne Attwood, P.O. Box 44148, Olympia, WA 98504-4148, phone 360-902-4777, fax 360-902-4180, email JoAnne.Attwood@Lni.wa.gov, web site www.wa.gov/LawRule/WhatsNew/Proposed.