HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2751

As Reported by House Committee On:

Higher Education

Title: An act relating to including a member from labor on community college boards of trustees.

Brief Description: Requiring that at least one member on each community college board of trustees be from labor.

Sponsors: Representatives Sells, Kenney, Nelson, Green, Ormsby, Conway, Campbell, Hasegawa, Seaquist, Simpson, Williams, Cody, Hudgins, Sullivan, Carlyle, Miloscia, Morrell, Hunt, Morris and Chase.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Higher Education: 1/20/10, 1/29/10 [DP].

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Wallace, Chair; Sells, Vice Chair; Carlyle, Driscoll, Hasegawa and White.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Anderson, Ranking Minority Member; Schmick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Angel and Haler.

Staff: Cece Clynch (786-7195).

Background:

Washington is divided into 30 community and technical college districts. Each district has a Board of Trustees (Board) composed of five trustees appointed by the Governor.

In making appointments to the Boards, the Governor must give consideration to geographical diversity and representation by labor, business, women, and racial and ethnic minorities. The Boards for districts containing a technical college must include at least one member from business and one member from labor. Within Washington there are five technical colleges: Lake Washington Vocational-Technical Institute, Renton Vocational-Technical Institute, Bates Vocational-Technical Institute, Clover Park Vocational Institute, and Bellingham Vocational-Technical Institute.

Trustees serve five-year terms.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Summary of Bill:

Every college district Board must include at least one member from labor. This requirement commences with the first appointment in each college district occurring after the effective date.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Conversations, especially with respect to workforce training issues, will be enriched by having a labor member on the Board. There is a need for diversity of views and walks of life. Fairness and equity demand that labor be represented on the Boards of the community colleges. This will align the community colleges with what is already being done at the technical colleges. Too often, the Boards act in a vacuum and without knowing what it takes to make a safe, clean, good learning environment. This will show that workers are viewed as full partners. This bill was in this committee 10 years ago. When business and labor work together there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. A person on the Board who understands labor issues helps the discussion. There is a need for balance. Just because a person is from labor does not mean that that person cannot represent everyone.

(Opposed) This is unnecessary. Many current trustees are opposed. Coming from a single position or perspective is limiting. Trustees must represent the entire community. District Boards are only composed of five members. This makes a difference and one cannot make a fair comparison with a nine-member board such as the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The Governor has a lot of discretion already and can appoint a labor member if desired.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Sells, prime sponsor; Alia Griffing and Rodolfo Franco, Washington Federation of State Employees; Randy Loomans, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302; and Bernal Baca, American Federation of Teachers.

(Opposed) Peter Crane, Olympic College.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.