H-4222

AN ACT Relating to designating certain communities as additional timber impact areas; amending RCW 50.70.010, 43.31.601, 43.160.020, 43.20A.750, 28B.80.570, and 70.47.115; amending 1991 c 314 s 26 (uncodified); reenacting and amending RCW 28B.50.030; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 50.70.010 and 1991 c 315 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Department" means the employment security department.

(2) "Dislocated forest products worker" means a forest products worker who: (a)(i) Has been terminated or received notice of termination from employment and is unlikely to return to employment in the individual's principal occupation or previous industry because of a diminishing demand for his or her skills in that occupation or industry; or (ii) is self-employed and has been displaced from his or her business because of the diminishing demand for the business's services or goods; and (b) at the time of last separation from employment, resided in or was employed in a timber impact area.

(3) "Forest products worker" means a worker in the forest products industries affected by the reduction of forest fiber enhancement, transportation, or production. The workers included within this definition shall be determined by the employment security department, but shall include workers employed in the industries assigned the major group standard industrial classification codes "24" and "26" and the industries involved in the harvesting and management of logs, transportation of logs and wood products, processing of wood products, and the manufacturing and distribution of wood processing and logging equipment. The commissioner may adopt rules further interpreting these definitions. For the purposes of this subsection, "standard industrial classification code" means the code identified in RCW 50.29.025(6)(c).

(4) "Program" means the employment and career orientation program for dislocated forest products workers administered by the employment security department in conjunction with the department of natural resources.

(5) "Enrollee" means any person enrolled in the program.

(6) "Project" means the natural resource worker project.

(7) "Timber impact area" means:

(a) A county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, or a city or town located within a county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, and meeting two of the following three criteria, as determined by the employment security department, for the most recent year such data is available: ((~~(a)~~)) (i) A lumber and wood products employment location quotient at or above the state average; ((~~(b)~~)) (ii) projected or actual direct lumber and wood products job losses of one hundred positions or more, except counties having a population greater than two hundred thousand but less than five hundred thousand must have direct lumber and wood products job losses of one thousand positions or more; or ((~~(c)~~)) (iii) an annual unemployment rate twenty percent or more above the state average; or

(b) Additional communities as the economic recovery coordinating board, established in RCW 43.31.631, designates based on a finding by the board that each designated community is socially and economically integrated with areas that meet the definition of a timber impact area under (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.31.601 and 1991 c 314 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of RCW 43.31.601 through 43.31.661:

(1) "Board" means the economic recovery coordination board;

(2) "Timber impact area" means:

Sec. 3. RCW 43.160.020 and 1991 c 314 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Board" means the community economic revitalization board.

(2) "Bond" means any bond, note, debenture, interim certificate, or other evidence of financial indebtedness issued by the board pursuant to this chapter.

(3) "Department" means the department of trade and economic development or its successor with respect to the powers granted by this chapter.

(4) "Financial institution" means any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, development credit corporation, insurance company, investment company, trust company, savings institution, or other financial institution approved by the board and maintaining an office in the state.

(5) "Industrial development facilities" means "industrial development facilities" as defined in RCW 39.84.020.

(6) "Industrial development revenue bonds" means tax-exempt revenue bonds used to fund industrial development facilities.

(7) "Local government" means any port district, county, city, or town.

(8) "Sponsor" means any of the following entities which customarily provide service or otherwise aid in industrial or other financing and are approved as a sponsor by the board: A bank, trust company, savings bank, investment bank, national banking association, savings and loan association, building and loan association, credit union, insurance company, or any other financial institution, governmental agency, or holding company of any entity specified in this subsection.

(9) "Umbrella bonds" means industrial development revenue bonds from which the proceeds are loaned, transferred, or otherwise made available to two or more users under this chapter.

(10) "User" means one or more persons acting as lessee, purchaser, mortgagor, or borrower under a financing document and receiving or applying to receive revenues from bonds issued under this chapter.

(11) "Timber impact area" means:

(ii) Additional communities as the economic recovery coordinating board, established in RCW 43.31.631, designates based on a finding by the board that each designated community is socially and economically integrated with areas that meet the definition of a timber impact area under (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 4. RCW 43.20A.750 and 1991 c 315 s 28 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department of social and health services shall help families and workers in timber impact areas make the transition through economic difficulties and shall provide services to assist workers to gain marketable skills. The department, as a member of the agency timber task force and in consultation with the economic recovery coordination board, and, where appropriate, under an interagency agreement with the department of community development, shall provide grants through the office of the secretary for services to the unemployed in timber impact areas, including providing direct or referral services, establishing and operating service delivery programs, and coordinating delivery programs and delivery of services. These grants may be awarded for family support centers, reemployment centers, or other local service agencies.

(2) The services provided through the grants may include, but need not be limited to: Credit counseling; social services including marital counseling; psychotherapy or psychological counseling; mortgage foreclosures and utilities problems counseling; drug and alcohol abuse services; medical services; and residential heating and food acquisition.

(3) Funding for these services shall be coordinated through the economic recovery coordination board which will establish a fund to provide child care assistance, mortgage assistance, and counseling which cannot be met through current programs. No funds shall be used for additional full-time equivalents for administering this section.

(4)(a) Grants for family support centers are intended to provide support to families by responding to needs identified by the families and communities served by the centers. Services provided by family support centers may include parenting education, child development assessments, health and nutrition education, counseling, and information and referral services. Such services may be provided directly by the center or through referral to other agencies participating in the interagency team.

(b) The department shall consult with the council on child abuse or neglect regarding grants for family support centers.

(5) "Timber impact area" means:

Sec. 5. RCW 28B.50.030 and 1991 c 315 s 15 and 1991 c 238 s 22 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise, the term:

(1) "System" shall mean the state system of community and technical colleges, which shall be a system of higher education.

(2) "Board" shall mean the work force training and education coordinating board.

(3) "College board" shall mean the state board for community and technical colleges created by this chapter.

(4) "Director" shall mean the administrative director for the state system of community and technical colleges.

(5) "District" shall mean any one of the community and technical college districts created by this chapter.

(6) "Board of trustees" shall mean the local community and technical college board of trustees established for each college district within the state.

(7) "Occupational education" shall mean that education or training that will prepare a student for employment that does not require a baccalaureate degree.

(8) "K‑12 system" shall mean the public school program including kindergarten through the twelfth grade.

(9) "Common school board" shall mean a public school district board of directors.

(10) "Community college" shall include those higher education institutions that conduct education programs under RCW 28B.50.020.

(11) "Technical college" shall include those higher education institutions with the sole mission of conducting occupational education, basic skills, literacy programs, and offering on short notice, when appropriate, programs that meet specific industry needs. The programs of technical colleges shall include, but not be limited to, continuous enrollment, competency-based instruction, industry-experienced faculty, curriculum integrating vocational and basic skills education, and curriculum approved by representatives of employers and labor. For purposes of this chapter, technical colleges shall include Lake Washington Vocational-Technical Institute, Renton Vocational-Technical Institute, Bates Vocational-Technical Institute, Clover Park Vocational Institute, and Bellingham Vocational-Technical Institute.

(12) "Adult education" shall mean all education or instruction, including academic, vocational education or training, basic skills and literacy training, and "occupational education" provided by public educational institutions, including common school districts for persons who are eighteen years of age and over or who hold a high school diploma or certificate. However, "adult education" shall not include academic education or instruction for persons under twenty-one years of age who do not hold a high school degree or diploma and who are attending a public high school for the sole purpose of obtaining a high school diploma or certificate, nor shall "adult education" include education or instruction provided by any four year public institution of higher education.

(13) "Dislocated forest product worker" shall mean a forest products worker who: (a)(i) Has been terminated or received notice of termination from employment and is unlikely to return to employment in the individual's principal occupation or previous industry because of a diminishing demand for his or her skills in that occupation or industry; or (ii) is self-employed and has been displaced from his or her business because of the diminishing demand for the business's services or goods; and (b) at the time of last separation from employment, resided in or was employed in a timber impact area.

(14) "Forest products worker" shall mean a worker in the forest products industries affected by the reduction of forest fiber enhancement, transportation, or production. The workers included within this definition shall be determined by the employment security department, but shall include workers employed in the industries assigned the major group standard industrial classification codes "24" and "26" and the industries involved in the harvesting and management of logs, transportation of logs and wood products, processing of wood products, and the manufacturing and distribution of wood processing and logging equipment. The commissioner may adopt rules further interpreting these definitions. For the purposes of this subsection, "standard industrial classification code" means the code identified in RCW 50.29.025(6)(c).

(15) "Timber impact area" shall mean:

Sec. 6. RCW 28B.80.570 and 1991 c 315 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 28B.80.575 through 28B.80.585.

(1) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(4) "Timber impact area" means:

Sec. 7. RCW 70.47.115 and 1991 c 315 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The administrator, when specific funding is provided and where feasible, shall make the basic health plan available to dislocated forest products workers and their families in timber impact areas. The administrator shall prioritize making the plan available under this section to the timber impact areas meeting the following criteria, as determined by the employment security department: (a) A lumber and wood products employment location quotient at or above the state average; (b) a direct lumber and wood products job loss of one hundred positions or more; and (c) an annual unemployment rate twenty percent above the state average.

(2) Dislocated forest products workers assisted under this section shall meet the requirements of enrollee as defined in RCW 70.47.020(4).

(3) For purposes of this section, (a) "dislocated forest products worker" means a forest products worker who: (i)(A) Has been terminated or received notice of termination from employment and is unlikely to return to employment in the individual's principal occupation or previous industry because of a diminishing demand for his or her skills in that occupation or industry; or (B) is self-employed and has been displaced from his or her business because of the diminishing demand for the business's services or goods; and (ii) at the time of last separation from employment, resided in or was employed in a timber impact area; (b) "forest products worker" means a worker in the forest products industries affected by the reduction of forest fiber enhancement, transportation, or production. The workers included within this definition shall be determined by the employment security department, but shall include workers employed in the industries assigned the major group standard industrial classification codes "24" and "26" and the industries involved in the harvesting and management of logs, transportation of logs and wood products, processing of wood products, and the manufacturing and distribution of wood processing and logging equipment.

The commissioner may adopt rules further interpreting these definitions. For the purposes of this subsection, "standard industrial classification code" means the code identified in RCW 50.29.025(6)(c); and (c) "timber impact area" means:

(i) A county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, or a city or town located within a county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, and meeting two of the following three criteria, as determined by the employment security department, for the most recent year such data is available: ((~~(i)~~)) (A) A lumber and wood products employment location quotient at or above the state average; ((~~(ii)~~)) (B) projected or actual direct lumber and wood products job losses of one hundred positions or more, except counties having a population greater than two hundred thousand but less than five hundred thousand must have direct lumber and wood products job losses of one thousand positions or more; or ((~~(iii)~~)) (C) an annual unemployment rate twenty percent or more above the state average; or

Sec. 8. 1991 c 314 s 26 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

(1) For the period beginning July 1, 1991, and ending June 30, 1993, in timber impact areas the public works board may award low-interest or interest-free loans to local governments for construction of new public works facilities that stimulate economic growth or diversification.

(2) For the purposes of this section and section 27 ((~~of this act)), chapter 314, Laws of 1991:~~

~~(a) "Public facilities" means bridge, road and street, domestic water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer systems.~~

~~(b) "Timber impact area" means:~~

(i) A county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, or a city or town located within a county having a population of less than five hundred thousand, and meeting two of the following three criteria, as determined by the employment security department, for the most recent year such data is available: (((i))) (A) A lumber and wood products employment location quotient at or above the state average; ((~~(ii)~~)) (B) projected or actual direct lumber and wood products job losses of one hundred positions or more, except counties having a population greater than two hundred thousand but less than five hundred thousand must have direct lumber and wood products job losses of one thousand positions or more; or ((~~(iii)~~)) (C) an annual unemployment rate twenty percent or more above the state average; or

(3) The loans may have a deferred payment of up to five years but shall be repaid within twenty years. The public works board may require other terms and conditions and may charge such rates of interest on its loans as it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section. Repayments shall be made to the public works assistance account.

(4) The board may make such loans irrespective of the annual loan cycle and reporting required in RCW 43.155.070.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. 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 immediately.