VETO MESSAGE ON SB 6599-S2

April 1, 2004

To the Honorable President and Members,

The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 3, Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6599 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to required elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs for certain pesticide handlers;"

Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6599 requires the Department of Labor and Industries to collect, correlate, and analyze certain data related to cholinesterase tests.

Section 3 would have required the department to make reasonable reimbursements on a quarterly basis as specified in the operating budget. This section refers to an appropriation in the operating budget that is to be used to reimburse agricultural employers for training, travel, and record-keeping costs related to complying with the cholinesterase monitoring rule.

In order to directly reimburse employers, the department will have to create a new payment system. Section 3 dictates how the department should reimburse employers, thus limiting the agency's flexibility on the design of the new system. The agency may decide that it is more practical to reimburse monthly, biannually or annually. In any case, the department should have the flexibility to make this decision.

For these reasons, I have vetoed section 3 of Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6599.

With the exception of section 3, Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6599 is approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary Locke

Governor