SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5764

BYSenators Murray, Lee, Warnke, McDonald, Bender, Rinehart, Bailey, Moore, Sutherland, Gaspard and Talmadge

Providing for workplace literacy.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 24, 1989; March 1, 1989

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Lee, Chairman; McDonald, Matson, Murray, Smitherman, Warnke, Williams.

Senate Staff:Jack Brummel (786-7428)

                  March 3, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & LABOR, MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Washington State Economic Development Board (EDB), in its final report, recommended that the state close the gap between the present-day job skills and those skills needed to compete and prosper in the new global economy.  The Training and Retraining Task Force of the EDB recommended a grant program to allow selected communities to take better advantage of existing disparate programs and resources to support the EDB's call for a more literate workforce by the year 2008.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Employment Security, working with a number of other state agencies, will develop and administer a grant program called Operation SPLICE (Skills for the Person to Live Independently in the Community and the Economy).  Operation SPLICE is intended to facilitate workplace literacy and economic development through local partnerships.

Projects under Operation SPLICE are funded initially for two years but may be extended for up to six years.  Grant applicants must provide a minimum match of 25 percent for the first two years; a minimum match of 50 percent for the second two years; and a minimum match of 75 percent the last two years.

Initial grants or contracts will be awarded by July 1, 1990, and initial projects under Operation SPLICE will begin not later than September 30, 1990.

The Department of Employment Security establishes an Operation SPLICE Advisory Council to assist the department in establishing application criteria, screening applications, recommending applicants for grant awards, and assisting the department in evaluating the projects.  The advisory council includes representatives of:  education; business; labor; apprenticeship and training programs; private industry councils; local government; the handicapped; providers of social services or health care, or both; teacher preparation programs; and public libraries.

Applications may come from communities, local education agencies, public nonprofit corporations, and other public or private entities, and must include:  (1) documentation of local education agency and private industry council involvement; (2) documentation of community participation; (3) a community needs assessment; (4) a statement of the goals of the project and the services to be provided to clients; and (5) budget and evaluation plans.

The Department of Employment Security will develop with other state agencies and organizations a technical assistance program for Operation SPLICE.

Projects under Operation SPLICE must submit an annual report to the department.  Employment Security must submit a report to the Legislature on Operation SPLICE every two years beginning December 1, 1991.

Twenty-six statutory programs are amended to allow the funds for such programs, as well as the specific program requirements, to be used as part of a local project under Operation SPLICE.  Education programs amended include:  block grant; gifted; special education; Learning Assistance; Schools for the 21st Century; substance abuse awareness; dropout prevention; and international education.

Job development programs amended include:  Job Skills; local development matching fund program; industrial development; facility loans; Washington State development loan fund; and apprenticeship programs.

Other programs amended include:  Early Childhood Education and Assistance; Project Even Start; Displaced Homemakers; Adult Education; community based early parenting skills program; and the Family Independence Program.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

A technical change is made in reference to the appropriation section.

Appropriation:    $2,250,000 to the Department of Employment Security

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 13, 1989

Senate Committee - Testified: Susan Dunn, ES (pro); Jan Carlson, OSPI (pro); Peggy Mihata, DCD (pro); Edward Cruver, WIAT (pro)