HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2401

As Reported by House Committee On:

Natural Resources

Title:  An act relating to assaults to employees of the department of natural resources.

Brief Description:  Reimbursing employees of the department of natural resources who are victims of assault.

Sponsors:  Representatives Doumit, Eickmeyer, Rockefeller, Sump, Jackley, Pearson, Ericksen, Hatfield, Chase, Edwards, McDermott and Haigh; by request of Department of Natural Resources.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Natural Resources:  1/29/02 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

$Makes employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), who have been assaulted by offenders and sustain injuries which result in missed days of work, eligible for reimbursement for some of their costs attributable to the assault under the same program available for employees of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Department of Corrections (DOC), and Department of Veterans Affairs.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Doumit, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Sump, Ranking Minority Member; Buck, Eickmeyer, Ericksen, Jackley, McDermott, Orcutt, Pearson and Upthegrove.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786‑7092).

Background:

Employees of the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, who are assaulted by offenders and sustain injuries which require the employees to miss days of work, are eligible for  supplementary reimbursement from the state.  The injury cannot be attributable to the employee's negligence, misconduct, or failure to comply with the rules of employment.

Employees who qualify for this reimbursement are eligible for their full salary minus any time loss payments received from industrial insurance.  Sick leave for these employees is not reduced for the workdays that are missed.  Reimbursement under this program may not exceed 365 consecutive days from the date of the injury.

Summary of  Bill:

Employees of the Department of Natural Resources, who have been assaulted by offenders and sustain injuries which result in missed days of work, are eligible for reimbursement for some of their costs attributable to the assault under the same program available for employees of the Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Corrections, and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This is DNR request legislation.  The DNR employees who supervise juvenile and adult offenders are subject to the same risks as DSHS and Corrections employees, and should have the same level of protection.  Correction crews are very valuable in fighting fires and providing other service, but they require supervision.  On June 6th a DNR juvenile offender work crew supervisor was severely assaulted, resulting in severe multiple injuries to his head, neck, face and ribs.  He was unable to work for seven months, but was ineligible for this supplemental program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Vicki Christiansen, Department of Natural Resources.