Title: An act relating to youth soccer referees.

Brief Description: Concerning the employment of youth soccer referees.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Murray and Keiser.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 2/19/07, 2/26/07 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5559 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Keiser, Vice Chair; Clements, Ranking Minority Member; Franklin, Holmquist, Murray and Prentice.

Staff: Sherry McNamara (786-7402)

Background: Washington's child labor laws state that any person employing a child under the age of 14 in any store, shop, factory, mine or any inside employment not connected with farm or house work is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Parents or guardians who permit a child to be so employed are also guilty. The law does not apply to children employed as actors or performers. A person employing a minor must obtain a work permit.

United States Soccer Federation (USSF) is the governing body for soccer in the United States and is responsible for providing training and certification for soccer referees throughout the nation. In 2006, there were 4,126 referees that had been certified by the USSF. Of those referees, 550 of them were under the age of 14 years old.

For purposes of industrial insurance, Washington employers must either insure workers with the state fund or qualify as a self-insurer. A number of employees are excluded, including newspaper carriers and children less than 18 years old working on their family farm.

Summary of Bill: Youth soccer referees who have been certified by a national referee certification program are added to the exemptions for employing children under the age of 14 years old.

In addition, services performed for a nonprofit youth soccer organization by a referee, excluding Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) sponsored events, are added to the exemptions from industrial insurance requirements.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY RECOMMENDED SUBSTITUTE AS PASSED COMMITTEE (Labor, Commerce, Research & Development): Section 2 was removed which provided an exemption from industrial insurance requirements for services performed by a referee for a nonprofit youth soccer organization.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The Washington State Youth Soccer Association's (WSYSA) current practice is to train youth soccer referees beginning at the age of ten years old. The WSYSA was not aware that it is illegal for children under 14 years old to work in this capacity. Currently, about 13 percent of WSYSA's referees are under the age of 14 years old. To become a youth referee, a youth must complete 16 hours of classroom training, four hours of training on the field and take a test to become certified. A youth referee is paid $10 to $50 per game depending on the age level of the soccer participants.

OTHER: We need to work with the Department of Labor and Industries to determine the best way to deal with this issue of exempting out referees from industrial insurance coverage, especially the adults. It is important to make sure that all referees, not only the soccer referees but referees for other sports, receive the protection they need.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Vicki Austin, Todd McGann, WSYSA; Steven Gooding, Youth Soccer Referee.

OTHER: Robby Stern, Washington State Labor Council; Michael Temple, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association; Vickie Kennedy, Department of Labor and Industries.