SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SCR 8427

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

           Labor, Commerce & Trade, January 22, 1996

Brief Description:  Creating a Joint Task Force on Vocational Rehabilitation and Training.

Sponsors:  Senators Pelz, Deccio, Heavey, Newhouse, Fraser, Hale and Franklin.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor, Commerce & Trade:  1/15/96, 1/22/96 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Pelz, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; Deccio, Franklin, Fraser and Newhouse.

Staff:  Jack Brummel (786-7428)

Background:  Over $45 million is spent annually by the Department of Labor and Industries for vocational rehabilitation services.  Approximately 10,000 workers in the state are actively involved in rehabilitation at any point in time.  The training services offered by the department's vocational rehabilitation program are not integrated with the other workforce training programs in the state.

Summary of Bill:  A joint task force on vocational rehabilitation is created to review the Department of Labor and Industries' vocational rehabilitation, employment, and training programs, and examine the potential for their integration into the state's workforce development efforts.

The task force is to have eight voting members, four from the Senate and four from the House of Representatives, with one co-chair from each body.  In addition the task force is to have five nonvoting advisory members, two from the business community, two from the labor community and one representative of vocational rehabilitation counselors.

The task force is to report preliminary findings and recommendations to the Legislature by January 15, 1997, and final findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 1997.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  No one.