Z-0509.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2040

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Hankins, Delvin, McMorris and Conway; by request of Department of Labor & Industries

Read first time 02/18/97.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Authorizing the continuation of a special insuring agreement for workers' compensation for the United States department of energy.

    AN ACT Relating to authorizing the continuation of a special insuring agreement for workers' compensation for the United States department of energy; amending 1951 c 144 s 1 (uncodified); adding a new section to chapter 51.04 RCW; and repealing 1951 c 144 s 2 (uncodified).

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

    Sec. 1. 1951 c 144 s 1 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

    The department of labor and industries upon the request of the secretary of defense of the United States or the ((chairman)) secretary of the United States ((atomic energy commission)) department of energy, may in its discretion approve ((or promulgate war projects insurance rating plans or defense projects insurance rating plans, providing for insurance with respect to cost plus fixed fee projects, and all war, defense or other contracts in the national interest of every kind and nature, involved in the prosecution of the war, national defense or national interest, and engaged in the performance of the work, either directly or indirectly, for the United States, regardless of whether such plan conforms to the requirements specified in the industrial insurance law of this state whenever the department finds that the application of such plan will effectively aid the national interest, the prosecution of the war or the defense of the United States; and the department may further approve or direct changes or modifications of such plans.

    Whenever war projects insurance rating plans or defense projects insurance rating plans provide for pensions, and funds are paid in for pensions pursuant to said plans the state finance committee is authorized to invest said pension funds in national, state, county, municipal, or school district bonds as such plans heretofore or hereafter provide for and not otherwise)) special insuring agreements providing industrial insurance coverage for workers engaged in the performance of work, either directly or indirectly, for the United States, regarding projects and contracts at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.  The agreements need not conform to the requirements specified in the industrial insurance law of this state if the department finds that the application of the plan will effectively aid the national interest.  The department may also approve or direct changes or modifications of the agreements as it deems necessary.

An agreement entered into under this section remains in full force and effect for as long as the department deems it necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  1951 c 144 s 2 (uncodified) is repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  Section 1 of this act is added to chapter 51.04 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

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