H-2164              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1713

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives R. King and Patrick)

Read first time 3/1/89 and referred to Committee on Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to industrial insurance dividends and premium refunds; adding a new section to chapter 51.44 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that workplace safety in state employment is of paramount importance in maintaining a productive and committed state work force.  The legislature also finds that recognition of state agency programs that provide safe working environments and promote early return-to-work for injured employees will encourage agencies to develop these programs.  The purpose of this act is to provide incentives for agencies to participate in safety programs and return-to-work programs by authorizing use of the industrial insurance premium refunds earned by agencies participating in industrial insurance retrospective rating programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 51.44 RCW to read as follows:

          The industrial insurance premium refund account is created in the state treasury.  All industrial insurance refunds earned by state agencies under the state fund retrospective rating program shall be deposited into the account.  Interest on the moneys in the account shall be deposited into the general fund.  Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.  No agency may receive an appropriation for an amount greater than the refund earned by the agency.  Expenditures from the account may be used for any program within an agency, but preference shall be given to programs that promote or provide incentives for employee safety and early, appropriate return-to-work for injured employees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1989.