SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SSB 6217

              AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 8, 1994

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

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6217 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Moore, Chairman; Prentice, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Deccio, Fraser, McAuliffe, Newhouse, Pelz, Prince, Sellar, Sutherland, Vognild and Wojahn.

Staff:  Patrick Woods (786‑7430)

Hearing Dates: January 18, 1994; January 24, 1994

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 of 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 has requested 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; and (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.

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

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested January 14, 1994

TESTIMONY FOR:

The task force is needed to continue the in-depth review of unemployment insurance issues.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Jan Gee, Washington Retail Association; Patrick Jones, Harvey's; Julie Gavrill, Ben Bridge; Kevin Groff, Safeway; Norm Raffaek, Weyerhaeuser

HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

The task force is given the additional responsibility of reviewing 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 that funds the program's administrative costs.

In reviewing this issue, the task force is required to include one representative of the affected employer and employee group respectively.