H-1561              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 874

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Fisch, R. King, Fisher, Lux, Belcher, Pruitt, Jacobsen and P. King

Read first time 2/13/87 and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to voting access; and adding a new section to chapter 49.28 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 49.28 RCW to read as follows:

          Every employer shall arrange employees' working hours on the day of any primary or election, general or special, so that all employees will have at least two hours available for voting during the hours when the polls are open as provided by RCW 29.13.080.  If an employee's regular work schedule does not give the employee two free hours during the time the polls are open, not including meal or rest breaks, the employer shall permit the employee to take at least two hours from the employee's work schedule for voting purposes.  The employer shall not deduct this time from an employee's pay if the employee presents evidence of having voted during that time.