BILL REQ. #:  S-4484.1 

Read first time 01/24/2006.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to creating the Washington state employee disaster recovery task force; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Washington state employees impacted by disasters caused by all hazards, whether natural, technological, or human caused, can be greatly helped by effective support from their employer. There are many opportunities in which an employer can provide support, including employer to employee, employer-coordinated employee to employee, and employer in conjunction with or on behalf of their impacted employees to local governments and charitable organizations. Washington state may be able to significantly enhance disaster recovery plans by reviewing plans put together by businesses in Washington state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The Washington state employee disaster recovery task force is established.
     (2) The task force is composed of the following members:
     (a) The director of the department of community, trade, and economic development or the director's designee;
     (b) The director of the Washington state military department or the director's designee;
     (c) The governor or the governor's designee;
     (d) A representative of the Washington state federation of state employees; and
     (e) The director of the department of personnel or the director's designee.
     (3) The task force shall convene by July 1, 2006. Upon convening, the task force shall select a chair to preside over task force meetings and a vice-chair to preside in the chair's absence.
     (4) Staff to the task force must be provided by the department of community, trade, and economic development. Upon request by the task force, any state agency must provide information within the scope of the task force's work.
     (5) Members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The Washington state employee disaster recovery task force shall, upon convening, examine the findings and recommendations of the Weyerhaeuser handbook "Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding a Community: An Employer's Guide to Assisting Employees" and all other information that may be pertinent to disaster recovery for Washington state employees. The task force shall report its findings to the relevant committees of the legislature that deal with state and local government issues by December 1, 2006.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The Washington state employee disaster recovery task force and its powers and duties terminate June 30, 2007.