SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5330

BYSenators Garrett, Johnson, Peterson, Tanner, Warnke, Williams and Kiskaddon; by request of Joint Select Committee on Disability Employment and Economic Participation

Establishing the disability accommodation revolving fund.

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 29, 1987; February 2, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5330 be substituted therefor, and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Warnke, Chairman; Smitherman, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Cantu, Lee, Sellar, Tanner, Vognild, West, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Jack Brummel (786-7428)

                  February 3, 1987

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 25, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5330 as recommended by Committee on Commerce & Labor be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDermott, Chairman; Gaspard, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Craswell, Deccio, Fleming, Hayner, Lee, McDonald, Moore, Owen, Rasmussen, Talmadge, Vognild, Williams, Wojahn, Zimmerman.

Senate Staff:Charles Langen (786-7715)

                  February 26, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 25, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Job site changes and equipment purchases are often necessary to accommodate persons of disability in their employment.  The Joint Select Committee on Disability Employment and Economic Participation has suggested that an accommodation fund would relieve state agencies of unanticipated accommodation expenses not possible to forecast in the biennial budget planning process and remove a potential barrier to employment of persons of disability.

SUMMARY:

The disability accommodation revolving fund is created in the State Treasurer's office for exclusive use by state agencies to accommodate the unanticipated job site or equipment needs of persons of disability in state employ.  An advisory review board appointed by the Treasurer will establish criteria for use of the fund and provide assistance to applicants and users of the fund.

Moneys received from the fund will be returned to the fund by the agencies at the beginning of the following fiscal biennium.

Appropriation:    $200,000

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The Department of Personnel replaces the Treasurer in authorizing disbursements and appointing advisory review board.  Extraneous language is deleted.

Fiscal Note:      requested

Senate Committee - Testified: COMMERCE & LABOR:  Senator Garrett; Representative Cole; Les Treece-Sinclair, Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped; Paul Dziedzic, Department of Services for the Blind; Russel Scott, Department of Personnel; Paul Wysocki, member, Joint Select Committee DEEP

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  Paul Dziedzic, Department of Services for the Blind; Bob Thurston, Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment