BILL REQ. #: H-4066.1

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HOUSE BILL 2554
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State of Washington

61st Legislature

2010 Regular Session

By Representatives Conway, Chase, Green, White, Simpson, Ormsby, and Moeller

Prefiled 01/05/10. Read first time 01/11/10. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to establishing a farm worker-grower advisory committee; and adding a new section to chapter 43.23 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.23 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The director shall appoint a farm worker-grower advisory committee composed of ten members: Four representing farm workers; four representing growers; and two nonvoting ex officio members, one representing the commissioner of the employment security department and one representing the director. The member representing the director shall be the chair of the committee.
     (2) The committee shall aid the director in formulating policies and discussing problems related to agricultural labor. The committee shall provide comment on department rule making, policies, and other initiatives related to agricultural labor. The committee shall also conduct a continuing study of any aspect of agricultural labor the committee determines to require its consideration. The committee shall report its findings to the department or the employment security department for action as deemed appropriate.
     (3) The members of the committee shall be appointed for a term of four years commencing July 1, 2010, and the terms of the members representing the farm workers and growers shall be staggered so that the director shall designate one member from each such group initially appointed whose term shall expire June 30, 2011, one member from each such group whose term shall expire June 30, 2012, and one member from each such group whose term shall expire June 30, 2013.
     (4) The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (5) The committee may hire such experts, if any, as it shall require to discharge its duties, and may use such personnel and facilities of the department and the employment security department as it shall need without charge.
     (6) The expenses of the committee shall be paid by the department.

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