SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESHB 1307

   AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, APRIL 14, 1993

Brief Description:  Reauthorizing and modifying the Washington service corps.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Locke, Eide, Silver, Dunshee, L. Johnson, Pruitt, Brough, Sheldon, Jones, Long, Franklin, Talcott, J. Kohl, Wood, Lemmon, Jacobsen, Wang, Leonard, Quall, Rayburn and King)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, TECHNOLOGY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Skratek, Chairman; Sheldon, Vice Chairman; Bluechel, Erwin, M. Rasmussen, and Williams.

Staff:  Jack Brummel (786‑7428)

Hearing Dates: March 23, 1993; March 31, 1993

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments to Committee on Trade, Technology & Economic Development amendments.

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Spanel, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hargrove, Hochstatter, Jesernig, McDonald, Owen, Pelz, Quigley, Roach, Snyder, Sutherland, Talmadge, West, Williams, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Mary Poole (786-7613)

Hearing Dates: April 14, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Washington Service Corps (WSC) was created by the Legislature in 1983.  The Department of Employment Security administers the program.  The WSC provides unemployed and out-of-school youth, between 18 and 26 years of age, with temporary jobs that benefit the youth's local community.  The goal of the program is to enhance the employability of these youth while addressing unmet local community needs.  Efforts to enroll economically, socially, physically, or educationally disadvantaged youth are required.

Participants serve for six months and receive a stipend, health insurance, training, and eligibility for a scholarship if the participant completes the full six months.  The scholarship is equivalent to one-year's tuition at a community or technical college.  The scholarship must be used within two years.  The program allows for a six-month extension of service.

At least 60 percent of the projects must be in distressed areas.

The WSC expires July 1, 1993.

SUMMARY:

The six-month service period for the Washington Service Corps (WSC), and possible six month extension, is replaced with an 11-month service period.  The post service scholarship is changed from one year to two years, after completion of the 11-month service period.  The scholarship must be started within one year of completing the service period and used within four years.  A scholarship account is created in the state treasury.

The requirement to enroll youths who are economically, socially, physically or educationally disadvantaged is deleted.

The commissioner may enroll youth 14 to 17 years of age on special projects during the summer and at other times of the year that may complement their school curriculum.

The expiration of the WSC on July 1, 1993 is repealed.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED TRADE, TECHNOLOGY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT:

The requirement to enroll youths who are economically, socially, physically or educationally disadvantaged is restored.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED WAYS & MEANS AMENDMENT:

The expiration of the WSC on July 1, 1993 is repealed.  All other substantive changes to the existing statute are deleted.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 1993.

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  No one