H-0561.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1025

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives O'Brien, Keiser, Veloria, Delvin, Murray and Regala

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.

Encouraging the state investment board to limit any investments in businesses in Northern Ireland to businesses operating in accordance with the MacBride principles.

    AN ACT Relating to investment of state funds in corporations doing business in Northern Ireland; and adding new sections to chapter 43.84 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  By January 1st of each year, the state investment board shall compile a list of corporations that, directly or through a subsidiary, do business in Northern Ireland and in whose stocks or obligations the state investment board has invested and shall determine whether such corporation has taken substantial action to achieve the following goals, known as the MacBride principles:

    (1) Increasing the representation of individuals from underrepresented religious groups in the work force, including managerial, supervisory, administrative, clerical, and technical jobs;

    (2) Adequate security for the protection of minority employees at the workplace and while traveling to and from work;

    (3) The banning of provocative religious or political emblems from the workplace;

    (4) All job openings shall be publicly advertised and special recruitment efforts shall be made to attract applicants from underrepresented religious groups;

    (5) Layoff, recall, and termination procedures shall not in practice favor particular religious groups;

    (6) The abolition of job reservations, apprenticeship restrictions, and differential employment criteria which discriminate on the basis of religion or ethnic origin;

    (7) The development of training programs that will prepare substantial numbers of current minority employees for skilled jobs, including the expansion of existing programs and the creation of new programs to train, upgrade, and improve the skills of minority employees;

    (8) The establishment of procedures to assess, identify, and actively recruit minority employees with potential for further  advancement; and

    (9) The appointment of a senior management staff member to oversee the company's affirmative action efforts and the setting up of time tables to carry out affirmative action principles.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  Whenever feasible, the state investment board shall sponsor, cosponsor, or support shareholder resolutions designed to encourage corporations doing business in Northern Ireland, in which the state investment board has invested, to adopt and implement the MacBride principles.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  Consistent with sound investment policy and prudent fiduciary standards, the state investment board is encouraged, with respect to state funds available for future investment in corporations doing business in Northern Ireland, to invest such funds in corporations conducting their operations in Northern Ireland in accordance with the MacBride principles and fair employment practices.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.84 RCW.

                            --- END ---