H-0740.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1161

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Radcliff, Cooper and Santos

Read first time 01/15/1999.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Requiring a study of apprenticeship training.

    AN ACT Relating to apprenticeship training; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that there is an increasing need and demand for apprenticeship training resulting from both major construction projects and the implementation of the Washington state WorkFirst program to reform welfare.  Major public and private construction projects are already planned or anticipated during the next decade in the areas of transportation, schools, colleges, universities, stadiums, hotels, and other tourist facilities.  The combined effect of the increasing demand for skilled construction trade workers and the growing desire on the part of welfare recipients to obtain the necessary skills to move to good paying jobs is straining the state's current apprenticeship programs.  The legislature therefore finds that a comprehensive analysis is needed of the projected demand for apprenticeship training and the most effective ways to meet that demand and that the cost of conducting such an analysis would be less than fifty thousand dollars.

    (2) The office of program research in the house of representatives shall be responsible for selecting and monitoring a study contractor.  The study shall be completed by December 1, 1999, and shall report on:

    (a) The number of students currently enrolled in apprenticeship training programs, by program and institution;

    (b) The institutions or organizations delivering apprenticeship training;

    (c) The facilities used to deliver apprenticeship training;

    (d) How apprenticeship training is coordinated and monitored;

    (e) Current funding levels and allocation procedures;

    (f) Linkages between apprenticeship training programs and other state programs including the WorkFirst welfare reform program and correctional institutions' training programs;

    (g) A review and analysis of current literature regarding the delivery and funding of apprenticeship training;

    (h) An identification of other states that have apprenticeship training needs similar to those of Washington state and those states identified through the literature review to be considered leaders in the provision of apprenticeship training;

    (i) An exploration of public and private capital funding for apprenticeship training facilities; and

    (j) Recommendations regarding the delivery of apprenticeship training in Washington state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

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