Title: An act relating to employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Brief Description: Extending employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Miloscia, McDermott, Moeller and Kenney.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/09/05, 97-0.

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 3/22/05, 3/31/05 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Hewitt, Honeyford, Keiser and Prentice.

Staff: Jennifer Strus (786-7316)

Background: In 2003, the Legislature enacted a policy designed to enhance employment opportunities for disadvantaged persons and persons with disabilities by requiring state agencies to include a vendor in good standing in the bid procedures required for purchases over $3,000. A vendor in good standing is defined as: a community rehabilitation program or a business, owned and operated by persons with disabilities, that has not had a breach of contract due to quality or performance issues and has achieved, or made progress, in enhancing employment opportunities for disadvantaged persons and persons with disabilities. The program expires December 31. 2007.

The legislation requires that an advisory subcommittee appointed by the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment verify that entities seeking to qualify as vendors in good standing have achieved, or made progress toward, enhancing employment opportunities for disadvantaged persons or persons with disabilities. It further requires the Department of General Administration and the advisory subcommittee to prepare and issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31, 2006, describing the effect of this program on enhancing employment opportunities for disadvantaged persons and persons with disabilities. The program expires December 31, 2007.

Summary of Bill: The expiration date for the program enacted in 2003 to enhance employment opportunities for disadvantaged persons and persons with disabilities is changed from December 31, 2007, to December 31, 2009. The report required from the advisory subcommittee and the Department of General Administration is due to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31, 2008.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: To have enough experience with this program so that the impacts can be adequately described to the legislature in the required report, the dates for both the report and expiration of the program need to be extended.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Bill Joplin, Department of General Administration; Toby Olson, Governor's Commission on Disability Issues.