SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5131

BYSenators Warnke, Lee, Wojahn, Vognild, Smitherman, Newhouse and McDonald; by request of Joint Select Committee on Unemployment Compensation and Insurance

Requiring annual reports on employment and economic data.

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 2, 1987; February 9, 1987

Majority Report:  Refer to Committee on Ways & Means with no recommendation.

      Signed by Senators Warnke, Chairman; Smitherman, Vice Chairman; Tanner, Vognild, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Mark McDermott (786-7429)

                  February 9, 1987

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 26, 1987

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDermott, Chairman; Bauer, Kreidler, Lee, Moore, Owen, Rasmussen, Rinehart, Talmadge, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Stephen Rose (786-7443)

                  February 26, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 26, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In recent years, many state industries and local labor markets have experienced significant declines in total employment.  In 1983-84, over 16 percent of the state's workforce was employed in industries whose employment had dropped since 1976-77.  The permanent, non-aerospace manufacturing job losses from plant closures and permanent mass layoffs are conservatively estimated at more than 50,000 between 1979-86.  Many industries have high levels of seasonal, cyclical and structural unemployment.  The number of unemployment compensation exhaustees has risen 123 percent between 1979 and 1985.

Currently, the state does not produce a comprehensive annual report which assesses the magnitude and causes of many of the problems confronting the state's industries and workforce.

SUMMARY:

The Employment Security Department is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature and the Governor which identifies and analyzes the following:  (1) seasonal, cyclical and structural unemployment; (2) plant closures; (3) dislocated workers; (4) the re-employment experiences of unemployment insurance claimants; (5) industry and occupational employment projections; (6) wage rates by industry and occupation; (7) employment and wage data on agriculture, forestry and fishing industries; and (8) subcounty industry, occupation, employment, unemployment and social welfare data for class AA and class A counties.

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: COMMERCE & LABOR:  Wendy Holden and Grame Sakrisen, Employment Security Department

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  Graeme Sackrison, ESD; Irv Lefberg, ESD