SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6722

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          Labor, Commerce & Trades, February 1, 1996

Title:  An act relating to safeguarding summer youth employment and training programs.

Brief Description:  Safeguarding summer youth employment and training programs.

Sponsors:  Senators Pelz, Wojahn, Heavey, Goings and Hargrove.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor, Commerce & Trade:  1/23/96, 2/1/96 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Pelz, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; A. Anderson, Deccio, Franklin, Fraser, McDonald, Newhouse and Wojahn.

Staff:  Patrick Woods (786-7430)

Background:  A major portion of summer youth employment programs in Washington State have traditionally been funded by the federal government.  They include:

Summer Youth Employment Program (Title II-B): This program serves economically disadvantaged youth between the ages 14-21.  The primary thrust of the program is to provide young individuals with direct job experience, pre-employment training, and work related skills.  In addition, participants are given educational opportunities in order to maintain their academic achievement levels during the summer months.  A total of 7,312 youth participated in this program in 1995.

Under the provisions of current federal legislation being considered by Congress, the Summer Youth Employment Program (Title II-B) in Washington will see its annual funding of $17 million eliminated for 1996. 

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature recognizes the importance of summer employment and training programs in providing disadvantaged youth with opportunities to develop work ethics, attain economic self-sufficiency, and put their talents and enthusiasm to constructive uses.

The Employment Security Department is directed to administer a comprehensive set of summer employment and training services to disadvantaged youth including employment, work skills training, school to work transition services, and on the job training.  The department is authorized to contract with organizations to deliver program services.

The summer employment and training programs are required to adhere to the following guidelines: (a) coordinate with the Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordination Board in program development and implementation; (b) adhere to the state's comprehensive plan for work force training; (c) consult on an on-going basis with business, labor, private industry councils, and community leaders to ensure a high level of public/private partnerships; (d) promote activities that demonstrate a record of success; (e) develop program goals and indicators that are consistent with those adopted by the Workforce Training and Education Coordination Board; (f) support the development of the state's one-stop-shop approach to the delivery of program services; (g) support the state's development of a school to work transition system; (h) maintain a low administrative overhead with a target of below 10 percent; and (i) support, as appropriate, participation in high skills training.

The programs funded under the act are required to be evaluated in order to determine their impact and effectiveness.  The department is directed to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on an annual basis. 

Appropriation:  Unspecified.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 19, 1996.

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

Testimony For:  Summer youth employment programs receive widespread support from a cross section of the communities in which they operate including business, public sector and the families of the children involved in the program.  The programs have proven themselves to be important in providing meaningful work experience for disadvantaged youth and keeping them from antisocial activities.  However, Congress has eliminated funding for the program.  As a  result, thousands of disadvantaged youth may not have summer jobs this summer.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Kari Quistad, Karen Vialle, Tom Ryan, Mary Burch, Tacoma/Pierce Co. PIC (pro); Karen White, Seattle/King Co. PIC (pro); Anne Keeny, Ken Wong, Youth Eastside Services (pro); Larry Malo, Employment Security Department (pro).