SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SHB 2891

   AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 23, 1994

Brief Description:  Providing medical aid benefits coverage for school district‑sponsored work‑based learning experiences.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Dorn and Springer)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Pelz, Chairman; McAuliffe, Vice Chairman; Gaspard, Hochstatter, McDonald, Moyer, Nelson, M. Rasmussen, Rinehart, Skratek and A. Smith.

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786‑7439)

Hearing Dates:  February 21, 1994; February 23, 1994

BACKGROUND:

Approaches to making learning more meaningful by connecting school to the workplace include opportunities for students to explore career interests through job-shadowing, mentoring, and internships.  However, a concern is the potential liability faced by a business owner should a student have an accident on the premises.  Currently, the student is not covered by industrial insurance.  It has been suggested that the liability exposure would be less if students were considered as "volunteers" under the industrial insurance law. 

Current law defines a "volunteer" as a person who performs without pay any assigned or authorized duty for a state agency, unit of local government or private nonprofit charitable organization (but not a private for-profit employer).  If the agency, unit, or organization has opted into the industrial insurance program, the volunteer is eligible to receive medical aid benefits if injured while performing assigned or authorized duties.  A "volunteer" is not eligible for additional industrial insurance compensation, such as permanent disability benefits or death benefits. 

SUMMARY:

A person participating in a school district-sponsored, nonpaid, work-based learning experience is defined as a "volunteer" for the purposes of industrial insurance.  A person participating in a school district-sponsored, work-based learning who receives wages is not a "volunteer".

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall create a task force to develop a definition of nonpaid, work-based learning experience.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

A student volunteer is defined as a student who performs duties for an employer without wages.  An employer may elect to secure medical aid benefits under industrial insurance for student volunteers.

The task force on school-to-work transitions shall develop guidelines for the nonpaid, work-based learning experiences of student volunteers.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill strengthens the work-based component of the school-to-work transition program.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Thomas Lopp, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; (pro); Kathleen Lopp, WA Vocational Assn. (pro)