FINAL BILL REPORT

                           SSB 6217

                          C 199 L 94

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Requiring the joint task force on unemployment insurance to study additional issues.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce (originally sponsored by Senators Newhouse, Vognild, Moore, Amondson, Prentice, Sutherland, Fraser, McAuliffe and Winsley)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & COMMERCE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

BACKGROUND:

In 1993 the Legislature established the Joint Task Force on Unemployment Insurance in order to undertake an in-depth review of Washington's unemployment insurance program.  The task force is composed of four members of the House of Representatives, four senators and four representatives from labor and business, respectively.  The task force in its report to the Legislature outlined a series of recommendations regarding policies and administration of unemployment insurance in Washington State. 

The task force requested that it be reauthorized through 1994 in order to:  undertake a more in-depth review of targeted issues; work collaboratively with the Employment Security Department in implementation of task force recommendation; and assist the department in responding to federal initiatives and economic change.

SUMMARY:

The Joint Task Force on Unemployment Insurance is reauthorized in order to:  (1) undertake more in-depth review of targeted issues concerning unemployment insurance; (2) work collaboratively with the Employment Security Department in implementation of task force recommendations; (3) assist the department in responding to federal initiatives and economic change; in particular, the new claimant profile requirement which must be implemented by 1994; and (4) review the issues concerning private nonprofits and government agencies that participate in the state's unemployment insurance program but do not pay federal unemployment insurance tax (FUTA).

The task force is scheduled to report to the Legislature by January 15, 1995.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    45   0

House     97   0    (House amended)

Senate    44   0    (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1994