SB 5599-S.E - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

     Requires the department of health and the department of labor and industries to adopt joint rules for the licensing, operation, and inspection of temporary worker housing, and the enforcement thereof.  These rules shall establish worker protection standards that are as effective as the standards developed under the Washington industrial safety and health act, chapter 49.17 RCW.

     Directs the department and the department of health to adopt joint rules for the licensing, operation, and inspection of temporary worker housing, and the enforcement thereof.  For the purposes of this section "temporary worker housing" has the same meaning as given in RCW 70.114A.020.

     Provides that, by December 1, 1999, the department and the department of labor and industries shall jointly establish a formal agreement that identifies the roles of each of the two agencies with respect to the enforcement of temporary worker housing operation standards.

     The agreement shall, to the extent feasible, provide for inspection and enforcement actions by a single agency, and shall include measures to avoid multiple citations for the same violation.

     Directs the department and the department of labor and industries to engage in joint rule making to establish standards for cherry harvest temporary labor camps.

     Directs the department to prepare a report to the legislature on utilization of the temporary worker building code authorized by RCW 70.114a.081.  The report shall include the number of housing units, number of families or individuals housed, number of growers obtaining permits, the geographic distribution of the permits, and recommendations of changes in the temporary worker building code necessary to avoid health and safety problems for the occupants.  The report shall be transmitted to the senate committee on commerce, trade, housing and financial institutions and the house of representatives committee on economic development, housing and trade by December 15, 2000, and an update shall be transmitted every two years thereafter.

     Repeals RCW 43.70.330 and 70.54.110.