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SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 5965
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AS
AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed
Legislature - 1997 Regular Session
State of Washington 55th
Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By
Read first time 03/05/97.
Providing
for changes in agency experience ratings for industrial insurance.
AN
ACT Relating to agency ratings for industrial insurance; amending RCW
51.44.170; and amending 1990 c 204 s 1 (uncodified).
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
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.
