1329-S AMS HATF BUCK 273

SHB 1329 - S AMD TO S AMD (S-2924.1/09) 353

By Senators Hatfield, Stevens, Honeyford, Morton, Hewitt, Hobbs, Sheldon, Holmquist, Pridemore, McCaslin, McAuliffe, Parlette, Berkey, Shin, King, Swecker, Haugen, Delvin, Kastama, Fairley, Murray, Oemig and Schoesler

OUT OF ORDER 4/13/2009

Beginning on page 1, line 7 of the amendment, after "suffer." strike all material through "state." on page 24, line 12 and insert "Recognizing that family child care providers have been granted the ability to collectively bargain with the state to improve standards in their profession and to expand opportunities for educational advancement to ensure continuous quality improvement in the delivery of early learning services, it has been suggested that the legislature grant similar bargaining rights to child care center directors and workers. However, because of current economic realities, it is difficult to award such rights before thoroughly studying whether this will, in fact, improve the working conditions of child care center directors and workers.

The legislature intends, therefore, to study the effects of the family child care provider system and whether providing equivalent collective bargaining opportunities to child care center directors and workers will lead to better training and opportunities for child care workers and better early learning opportunities for the children in their care. The legislature further intends that the results of this study be delivered to a joint legislative task force which will investigate methods to raise the subsidy through legislation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of early learning must study issues relating to increasing the child care subsidy and reimbursement rates for child care centers licensed under chapter 43.125 RCW. The study must:

(a) Include a review of the results of the collective bargaining provided to family child care providers. This must include whether this has resulted in increased economic compensation, health and welfare benefits, professional development and training, and other economic matters to these providers;

(b) Be made in consultation with child care center directors and workers as well as other interested stakeholders. Directors and workers must be consulted in several areas of the state, including centers located in eastern Washington and western Washington;

(d) Review alternative methods to provide training to child care center directors and workers;

(e) Review methods to retain child care center workers and otherwise reduce employee turnover; and

(f) Include other items the department determines necessary to study in order to increase educational opportunities for children in child care centers.

(2) The study required under this subsection must be completed by August 1, 2010, and delivered to the joint legislative task force on child care center subsidy and reimbursement rates established in section 3 of this act.

(3) This section expires December 31, 2010.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The joint legislative task force on child care center subsidy and reimbursement rates is established. The task force shall consist of the following members:

(a) The chair and the ranking minority member of the senate labor, commerce and consumer protection committee;

(b) The chair and the ranking minority member of the house of representatives commerce and labor committee;

(c) Up to eight members appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that represent child care centers. These members must include representatives of businesses that own and operate ten or more child care centers; representatives of local nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is to provide social services, such as the YMCA and the YWCA; and representatives of child care centers such as the Washington federation of independent schools, child care consulting, the Washington education association, the American federation of teachers; and the service employees international union; and

(d) The director of the department of early learning, or the director's designee.

(2) The task force must review the results of the study conducted under section 2 of this act and must develop proposed legislation that is intended to increase the child care subsidy and reimbursement rates. In developing proposed legislation, the task force must consider previous legislative attempts to raise the subsidy rate including SB 5506, which was proposed during the 2009 legislative session.

(3) The task force must submit its proposed legislation to the senate labor commerce and consumer protection committee, the senate early learning and K-12 education committee, the house of representatives commerce and labor committee, and the house of representatives early learning and children's services committee by December 1, 2011.

(4) This section expires December 31, 2011."

SHB 1329 - S AMD TO S AMD (S-2924.1/09) 353

On page 24, beginning on line 14 of the title amendment, after "insert" strike the remainder of the title amendment and insert "creating new sections; and providing expiration dates."

EFFECT: The Department of Early Learning is required to study methods to raise the child care subsidy and reimbursement rates. A Joint Legislative Task Force on Child Care Subsidy and Reimbursement Rates is established to develop legislation based on the Department of Early Learning study. The proposed legislation must address ways to increase the child care subsidy and reimbursement rates and include consideration of past legislative efforts. The proposed legislation must be delivered to the Legislature by December 1, 2011.

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