S-4172.3 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6337
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Senators Franklin, Winsley, Prentice, Haugen and Prince
Read first time 01/11/96. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade.
AN ACT Relating to creating a task force to study the state's affirmative action policies and programs; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) There is hereby created the task force on equal opportunity.
(2) The task force shall:
(a) Study and investigate all programs and policies currently authorized by state law, state administrative rules, and state executive orders that grant preference or special consideration based on race, color, ethnicity, gender, veteran status, disability, or national origin to an individual or group in public employment, public education, or public contracting;
(b) Seek to determine the rationale for each identified program or policy, the program or policy's objectives, and whether the program or policy has achieved those objectives; and
(c) Conduct a comprehensive review of state law and administrative rules pertaining to the state's minority and women business programs and policy, in order to determine if the programs and policy comply with the fundamental requirements of the decision in City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 109 S. Ct. 706, 488 U.S. 469.
(3) The task force shall be composed of the following members, who must be appointed within six weeks of the effective date of this act:
(a) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate majority leader;
(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate minority leader;
(c) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(d) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
(e) Five members of the public, one of whom shall be the chair, appointed by the governor; and
(f) Five nonvoting members, one each representing the department of general administration, department of personnel, office of financial management, higher education coordinating board, and human rights commission, appointed by the governor.
(4) The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(5) The task force shall convene as soon as possible after a majority of the members have been appointed.
(6) The task force shall report its findings and legislative recommendations to the legislature by December 31, 1996.
(7) The legislature urges all state agencies to provide all requested information to enable the task force to conduct a complete and thorough investigation.
(8) The task force shall expire upon the report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature.
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