HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5300

BYSenate Committee on Economic Development & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Lee, Smitherman, Murray, West, Anderson, Johnson, Williams, Rasmussen and McMullen; by request of Department of Labor and Industries)

Updating references to women and minorities in apprenticeship programs statute.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Vekich, Chair; Cole, Vice Chair; Smith, Ranking Republican Member; Forner, Jones, R. King, Leonard, O'Brien, Prentice, Walker and Wolfe.

House Staff:Jim Kelley (786-7166)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Current law regarding joint apprenticeship programs and vocational education provides for affirmative action to increase the participation of "minority races."  "Racial minority" is defined to include "Blacks, Mexican Americans or Spanish Americans, Orientals and Indians or Filipinos."

Joint apprenticeship programs receiving any state assistance in instructional or other costs must include members of minority races in a ratio equal to that found in the general population, when available.

Community colleges, vocational schools, and high schools must make every effort to enlist minority race representation in apprenticeship programs they conduct, as must employer and employee groups, the Apprenticeship Council, and local and state apprenticeship committees, with the aid of the Department of Labor and Industries.

SUMMARY:

In the affirmative action provisions of the apprenticeship law, all references to "minority races" are changed to "women and racial minorities."

The definition of "minority race" is changed to "African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Filipinos, and all other racial minority groups."

Joint apprenticeship programs receiving any state assistance must include women and racial minorities, when available, in a ratio not less than the percentage of the minority race and female labor force in the program sponsor's labor market area.

Community colleges, vocational schools, and high schools must make every effort to enlist woman and racial minority representation in apprenticeship programs they conduct.

Employer and employee groups, the Apprenticeship Council, and state apprenticeship committees must also make every effort to enlist woman and racial minority representation in the apprenticeship programs they conduct.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United; Robert Dilger, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; and Mark McDermott, Department of Labor and Industries.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This is Department of Labor and Industries request legislation.  This bill brings the law into conformity with federal law and department rules.  This bill gives new life to affirmative action as a priority of our state.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.