_______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE
HOUSE BILL 2513
_______________________________________________
Passed
Legislature - 1996 Regular Session
State of Washington 54th
Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/02/96.
Concerning
industrial insurance benefits.
AN ACT
Relating to employers' failure to pay industrial insurance premiums; creating a
new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The
legislature finds that there is a continuing problem of employers illegally
failing to pay industrial insurance premiums. When an employee of an illegally
uninsured employer files a claim for benefits, the department of labor and
industries is forced to pass on the cost of the benefits provided to other
legally insured employers in the same risk classification. It is the intent of
the legislature that a method should be devised to place the financial burden
of paying for the industrial insurance benefits provided to the injured
employee on the illegally uninsured employer.
(2) To
find a method for placing the financial burden more fairly, a legislative joint
task force shall review and make recommendations for legislation. Issues that
should be reviewed include: (a) The number of employers who fail to obtain
industrial insurance for their workers and the resulting cost to other
employers in the state fund; (b) the number of these employers who also fail to
pay other state taxes generally required of employers and the resulting cost to
the state for failure to pay; (c) methods of improving compliance with
industrial insurance and other employer responsibilities under state law; and
(d) any other issues considered relevant by the task force.
(3) The
joint task force shall consist of eight members, one member from each caucus of
the senate labor, commerce, and trade committee, appointed by the chair of the
committee; one member from each caucus of the house of representatives commerce
and labor committee, appointed by the chair of the committee; two members
representing business, appointed jointly by the two committee chairs; and two
members representing labor, appointed jointly by the two committee chairs. In
addition, the department of labor and industries shall cooperate with the task
force and maintain a liaison with the task force. The task force shall choose
its chair from among its membership.
(4)
The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate
committees of the legislature by December 1, 1996.
(5)
This section shall expire June 1, 1997.
