5675 AMH FW H2721.2

SB 5675 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that some stocks of Skagit river salmon are declining, and that no recovery plan exists for these stocks. The legislature declares that the recovery and enhancement of Skagit river salmon should receive high priority since the status of these stocks affects the ocean fishery as well as the fishery on the Skagit river. The legislature further finds that dislocated timber workers represent a potential work force to conduct salmon enhancement projects, if adequate training is provided in the area of fish management to these dislocated workers, and if sufficient coordination exists between potential employers and employees."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The director of fisheries shall prepare a salmon recovery plan for the Skagit river. The plan shall incorporate the best available technology in order to achieve maximum restoration of depressed salmon stocks. The utilization of salmon hatchery programs must be an important component of the recovery plan. The plan must encourage the restoration of natural spawning areas and natural rearing of salmon but must not preclude the development of an active hatchery program."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The director shall present the recovery plan to the legislature on or before December 31, 1991. The plan shall include funding requirements for salmon hatchery programs and natural spawning programs."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Dislocated timber worker" means any individual who:

(a) Has been terminated or received a notice of termination from employment in a timber-related occupation within standard industrial code 024; and

(b) At the time of last separation from employment, resided in or was employed in a timber-dependent community.

(2) "College" means Skagit Valley Community College.

(3) "Local development agency" means the economic development association of Skagit county."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A pilot project shall be established, coordinated jointly by the department and the college, in Skagit county. The pilot project created in this section is subject to the department and the college acquiring funds for the pilot project from federal, state, or private sources. The project shall be of five years duration."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The college shall develop a training program designed for dislocated timber workers and their spouses, and in doing so, shall:

(1) Consult with, at a minimum, the departments of natural resources, ecology, wildlife, and fisheries, the parks and recreation commission, and other state, federal, local, and private employers in Skagit county to determine minimum employment qualifications in the areas of natural resource management and enhancement of the Skagit river salmon; and

(2) Develop a program that will provide needed educational skills to dislocated timber workers and their spouses."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The employment security department shall contract with the local development agency to coordinate with the college and the departments of wildlife, ecology, natural resources, and fisheries, the parks and recreation commission, and other state, federal, local, and private employers in assisting dislocated timber workers and their spouses in securing education and employment in the natural resource professions. The local development agency shall also provide information on the training program established under section 6 of this act."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The employment security department and the college shall jointly report to the legislature on their progress by November 1 of each year, beginning in 1991 and ending November 1, 1996. This report shall include a college program description, numbers of students, numbers of referrals for existing positions by the local development agency, and numbers of positions filled by dislocated timber workers."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The employment security department, subject to the availability of funding under section 10 of this act or an appropriation from the general fund, shall establish the pilot natural resource worker project. The project shall be located in Skagit county, shall terminate on July 1, 1996, and shall provide employment and training opportunities for dislocated timber workers in the areas of fisheries, wildlife, recreation, and other natural resource professions. The department of personnel shall approve the project. The goal of the project is to allow project employees to be, upon termination of their participation in the project, eligible for permanent employment relating to enhancement of Skagit river salmon with the departments of wildlife, fisheries, ecology, and natural resources, and the parks and recreation commission."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. The employment security department shall use federal funds that it receives for dislocated timber workers to contract with the departments of wildlife, fisheries, ecology, and natural resources, and the parks and recreation commission to hire natural resource worker project participants to conduct tasks in the areas of fisheries, wildlife, forestry, ecology, and recreation, particularly in the area of Skagit river salmon enhancement."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The natural resource worker project shall include the following elements:

(1) Recruitment of dislocated timber workers;

(2) Placement in the departments of wildlife, fisheries, ecology, and natural resources, and the parks and recreation commission;

(3) On-the-job training in entry-level natural resource management skills;

(4) Comparable salaries and benefits to entry-level positions already existing in the departments of wildlife, fisheries, ecology, and natural resources, and the parks and recreation commission."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. The employment security department, along with the departments of personnel, wildlife, fisheries, ecology, and natural resources, and the parks and recreation commission shall report annually to the legislature on November 1 of each year beginning November 1, 1992, and until November 1, 1995, on the natural resource worker project.

The report shall include, at a minimum, the following elements:

(1) The number of project employees;

(2) The number and description of positions filled, by agency;

(3) Training received;

(4) Duration of employment; and

(5) Placement in permanent positions."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. This act shall expire January 1, 1997."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. Sections 4 through 13 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 50 RCW."

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 15, 1991."

SB 5675 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife

On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "salmon;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "adding a new chapter to Title 50 RCW; creating new sections; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency."