SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5589

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

       Labor & Workforce Development, February 23, 1999

Title:  An act relating to creating an apprenticeship assistance program.

Brief Description:  Creating an apprenticeship assistance program.

Sponsors:  Senators Fairley and Kohl‑Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor & Workforce Development:  2/18/99, 2/23/99 [DPS].

Ways & Means: 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5589 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Hochstatter, Kline and Wojahn.

Staff:  Jack Brummel (786-7428)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Staff:  Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background:  Apprenticeships prepare individuals for family-wage jobs by offering valuable training in high-skilled occupations.  Concerns exist that low-income individuals find the costs associated with apprenticeship training a barrier to entry to apprenticeship programs, and that  the Department of Social and Health Services= (DSHS) regulations or practices may be restricting the entry of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients into apprenticeships.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  An Apprenticeship Assistance Program is created in the Department of Labor and Industries to be administered by the Supervisor of Apprenticeship.  The program is to provide low-income individuals that have been accepted into an apprenticeship program with grants to cover enrollment fees, tool and training material purchases, and transportation and child care costs.

The Supervisor of Apprenticeship is to encourage low-income individuals and DSHS is to encourage TANF recipients to enter apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship training.  DSHS is to ensure that no department rule prevents recipients of TANF from entering apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship training or from receiving assistance from the program.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation:  $500,000 for FY 2000; $500,000 for FY 2001.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 10, 1999.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  There are lots of low-income single parents that would benefit from this bill.  Pre-apprenticeship training should be an allowable work activity for WorkFirst participants.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Lisa Telford; Larry Shank.