HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1520

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to skill centers.

Brief Description:  Expanding the use of skill centers.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Holm, Brumsickle, Wolfe, Chappell, Sheldon, Romero, Dorn, Basich, Kessler, Jones, Zellinsky, Pruitt, Brough, Cothern, Riley, King, R. Meyers, Rayburn and Quall; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.)

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, February 18, 1993, DPS;

Appropriations, March 3, 1993, DPS(ED);

  Passed House, March 11, 1993, 98-0;

  Amended by Senate;

House Concurred;

Passed Legislature, April 20, 1993, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 18 members:  Representatives Dorn, Chair; Cothern, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Thomas, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle; Carlson; G. Cole; Eide; Hansen; Holm; Jones; Karahalios; J. Kohl; Patterson; Pruitt; Roland; Stevens; and Vance.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Education be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 23 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Ballasiotes; Basich; Cooke; Dellwo; Dorn; Dunshee; G. Fisher; Jacobsen; Linville; Morton; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Sommers; Stevens; Talcott; Wineberry; and Wolfe.

Staff:  Jack Daray (786-7178).

Background:  Eight secondary vocational skill centers have been established to provide vocational training for high school students.  The skill centers are used primarily during the morning and early afternoon, and generally are idle during the late afternoon and evening.  At the same time, community colleges have more individuals applying for admission than they can accommodate.

Summary of Bill:  Skill centers are encouraged to operate afternoon and evening programs.

Community colleges are encouraged to contract with skill centers to use the skill center facilities.  A community college is not required to count enrollments under these contracts for purposes of the community college's enrollment lid.  Skill centers may charge fees to adult students.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Education) There is considerable demand by students and adults to use the skill centers in the late afternoon and evening.  However, to make it possible economically requires that there be a small base of funded students.  The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board will likely have funds available that could be used to help fund this base of students, which would allow increasing service to additional students.

(Appropriations) None.

Testimony Against:  (Education) None.

(Appropriations) None.

Witnesses:  (Education) Jim Taylor, New Market Skills Center (pro); Tom Lopp, Superintendent of Public Instruction (pro); David Habura, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (supports concept); and Linda Byrnes, state Board of Education (pro).

(Appropriations) None.