BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to the commission on Asian Pacific American affairs; amending RCW 43.117.010, 43.117.020, 43.117.030, 43.117.070, 43.117.080, and 49.04.100; and reenacting and amending RCW 43.03.028.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 43.03.028 and 1993 c 281 s 45 and 1993 c 101 s 14 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) There is hereby created a state committee on agency officials' salaries to consist of seven members, or their designees, as follows: The president of the University of Puget Sound; the chairperson of the council of presidents of the state's four-year institutions of higher education; the chairperson of the Washington personnel resources board; the president of the Association of Washington Business; the president of the Pacific Northwest Personnel Managers' Association; the president of the Washington State Bar Association; and the president of the Washington State Labor Council. If any of the titles or positions mentioned in this subsection are changed or abolished, any person occupying an equivalent or like position shall be qualified for appointment by the governor to membership upon the committee.

(2) The committee shall study the duties and salaries of the directors of the several departments and the members of the several boards and commissions of state government, who are subject to appointment by the governor or whose salaries are fixed by the governor, and of the chief executive officers of the following agencies of state government:

The arts commission; the human rights commission; the board of accountancy; the board of pharmacy; the eastern Washington historical society; the Washington state historical society; the interagency committee for outdoor recreation; the criminal justice training commission; the department of personnel; the state finance committee; the state library; the traffic safety commission; the horse racing commission; the advisory council on vocational education; the public disclosure commission; the state conservation commission; the commission on Hispanic affairs; the commission on Asian((-)) Pacific American affairs; the state board for volunteer fire fighters; the transportation improvement board; the public employment relations commission; the forest practices appeals board; and the energy facilities site evaluation council.

The committee shall report to the governor or the chairperson of the appropriate salary fixing authority at least once in each fiscal biennium on such date as the governor may designate, but not later than seventy-five days prior to the convening of each regular session of the legislature during an odd-numbered year, its recommendations for the salaries to be fixed for each position.

(3) Committee members shall be reimbursed by the department of personnel for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.117.010 and 1983 c 119 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature declares that the public policy of this state is to insure equal opportunity for all of its citizens. The legislature finds that Asian((-)) Pacific Americans have unique and special problems. It is the purpose of this chapter to improve the well-being of Asian((-)) Pacific Americans by insuring their access to participation in the fields of government, business, education, and other areas. The legislature is particularly concerned with the plight of those Asian((-)) Pacific Americans who, for economic, linguistic, or cultural reasons, find themselves disadvantaged or isolated from American society and the benefits of equal opportunity. The legislature further finds that it is necessary to aid Asian((-)) Pacific Americans in obtaining governmental services in order to promote the health, safety, and welfare of all the residents of this state. Therefore the legislature deems it necessary to create a commission to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.117.020 and 1974 ex.s. c 140 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter unless the context indicates otherwise:

(1) "Asian((-)) Pacific Americans" include persons ((~~primarily~~)) of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, ((or)) Korean ((~~ancestry; "Asian-Americans" also include persons of~~)), Samoan, Guamanian, Thai, Viet-Namese, Cambodian, Laotian, and other ((~~Far East or~~)) South East Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Island ancestry.

(2) "Commission" means the Washington state commission on Asian((‑)) Pacific American affairs in the office of the governor.

Sec. 4. RCW 43.117.030 and 1974 ex.s. c 140 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

There is established a Washington state commission on Asian((-)) Pacific American affairs in the office of the governor. The now existing Asian-American advisory council shall become the commission upon enactment of this chapter. The council may transfer all office equipment, including files and records to the commission.

Sec. 5. RCW 43.117.070 and 1974 ex.s. c 140 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The commission shall examine and define issues pertaining to the rights and needs of Asian((-)) Pacific Americans, and make recommendations to the governor and state agencies with respect to desirable changes in program and law.

(2) The commission shall further advise such state government agencies on the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated policies, plans, and programs focusing on the special problems and needs of Asian((-)) Pacific Americans.

(3) Each state department and agency shall provide appropriate and reasonable assistance to the commission as needed in order that the commission may carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Sec. 6. RCW 43.117.080 and 1974 ex.s. c 140 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

In carrying out its duties, the commission may establish such relationships with local governments and private industry as may be needed to promote equal opportunity and benefits to Asian((-)) Pacific Americans in government, education, economic development, employment, and services.

Sec. 7. RCW 49.04.100 and 1990 c 72 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Joint apprenticeship programs entered into under authority of chapter 49.04 RCW and which receive any state assistance in instructional or other costs, shall include entrance of women and racial minorities in such program, when available, in a ratio not less than the percentage of the minority race and female (minority and nonminority) labor force in the program sponsor's labor market area, based on current census figures issued by the office of financial management with the ultimate goal of obtaining the proportionate ratio of representation in the total program membership. Where minimum standards have been set for entering upon any such apprenticeship program, this woman and racial minority representation shall be filled when women and racial minority applicants have met such minimum standards and irrespective of individual ranking among all applicants seeking to enter the program: PROVIDED, That nothing in RCW 49.04.100 through 49.04.130 will affect the total number of entrants into the apprenticeship program or modify the dates of entrance both as established by the joint apprenticeship committee. Racial minority for the purposes of RCW 49.04.130 shall include African Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Filipinos, and all other racial minority groups.