SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1061

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Higher Education, March 27, 2003

Title: An act relating to creating associate degree pathways for apprentices.

Brief Description: Authorizing associate degree pathways for persons in apprenticeship programs at community and technical colleges.

Sponsors: House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Veloria, Kenney, Conway, Cox, Hunt, Clements, Morrell, Campbell, Kessler, Simpson, Wood and Berkey).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Higher Education: 3/24/03, 3/27/03 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Carlson, Chair; Schmidt, Vice Chair; Horn, Kohl-Welles, Mulliken, B. Sheldon and Shin.

Staff: Dario de la Rosa (786-7484)

Background: Apprenticeship programs enable individuals to learn trades and occupations through a combination of on-the-job training and related and supplemental instruction. Programs are sponsored by joint employers and labor groups, individual employers or employer associations. Sponsoring groups make up the apprenticeship committee that oversees the programs.

Most apprenticeship committees contract with a community or technical college to provide the program's related and supplemental instruction. For the 2001-2002 academic year, 24 community and technical colleges provided instruction for approximately 12,000 apprentices.

Summary of Amended Bill: Apprenticeship committees can recommend to their community or technical college partners that an associate degree pathway be developed for that committee's apprenticeship program. Committees and partner colleges will consider the extent to which apprentices in the program are likely to pursue a degree. If a committee and partner college determine that an associate degree pathway would be beneficial for apprentices, the committee can request that the college develop one. Colleges develop the appropriate program for apprentices if resources are available.

The State Board for Technical and Community Colleges must convene a work group to examine current laws and rules pertaining to instruction for apprentices, and practices regarding supplemental instruction for apprentices that is provided by the colleges.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: The Higher Education Coordinating Board is added to the work group to examine current laws, rules and practices regarding related and supplemental instruction for apprentices.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Testimony For: Lifelong learning is important to apprentices, and many would like obtain a higher education degree. An educated workforce is one of the most important parts of creating a global workforce. This bill will help apprentices who want to get a degree from the community college where they work on their apprenticeship. This bill emphasizes the relationship between the apprenticeship committees and their community and technical college partners.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Representative Velma Veloria, prime sponsor; Rebecca Rhodes, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (pro); Randy Looman, Washington State Labor Council (pro); Rick Slunaker, Associated General Contractors (pro).