5965-S AMH CL CORD 105

SSB 5965 - H COMM AMD ADOPTED 4-10-97

By Committee on Commerce & Labor

     Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

     "Sec. 1.  RCW 51.44.170 and 1991 sp.s. c 13 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:

     The industrial insurance premium refund account is created in the custody of the state((treasury)) treasurer.  All industrial insurance refunds earned by state agencies or institutions of higher education under the state fund retrospective rating program shall be deposited into the account. ((Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation)) The account is subject to the allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for expenditures from the account.  Only the executive head of the agency or institution of higher education, or designee, may authorize expenditures from the account.  No agency or institution of higher education may ((receive an appropriation)) make an expenditure from the account for an amount greater than the refund earned by the agency.  If the agency or institution of higher education has staff dedicated to workers' compensation claims management, expenditures from the account must be used to pay for that staff, but  additional  expenditure from the account may be used for any program within an agency or institution of higher education((, but preference shall be given to programs)) that promotes or provides incentives for employee workplace safety and health and early, appropriate return-to-work for injured employees.

     Sec. 2. 1990 c 204 s 1 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

     The legislature finds that workplace safety in state employment is of paramount importance in maintaining a productive and committed state work force.  The legislature also finds that recognition in state agencies and institutions of higher education of industrial insurance programs that provide safe working environments and promote early return-to-work for injured employees will encourage agencies and institutions of higher education to develop these programs.  A purpose of this act is to provide incentives for agencies and institutions of higher education to participate in industrial insurance safety programs and return-to-work programs by authorizing use of the industrial insurance premium refunds earned by agencies or institutions of higher education participating in industrial insurance retrospective rating programs.  Since agency and institution of higher education retrospective rating refunds are generated from safety performance and cannot be set at predictable levels determined by the budget process, the incentive awards should not impact an agency's or institution of higher education's legislatively approved budget."

EFFECT:  Technical corrections and clarifications.  The premium refund account is moved to the custody of the state treasurer.  The requirement for agencies to file requests for expenditures with the state treasurer is deleted and the head of the agency is authorized to make expenditures.  The account is made subject to allotment under OFM rules.