S-2239               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5240

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Lee and McMullen)

Read first time 2/28/89.

AN ACT Relating to adult literacy; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; creating a new section; making an appropriation; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that a literate citizenry contributes to the economic and social well-being of the state.  It is the intent of the legislature that all residents sixteen years of age or older who need to improve their literacy skills shall have access to literacy services.  It is the purpose of this act to provide assistance to literacy programs throughout the state in a coordinated manner.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

          The state board for community college education shall operate a literacy tutor coordination project.  The project shall provide grants to educational institutions and local literacy programs or coalitions to coordinate the efforts of volunteer literacy tutors.  The project shall consult with the state job training coordinating council in establishing criteria for awarding grants and evaluating the results of programs funded under the grants.  The project shall place special emphasis on raising the potential for permanent employment of adult residents who desire to improve their literacy skills.  The state board shall work with the financial aid offices at each community college to encourage the use of students receiving work-study awards in the literacy tutor coordination project.  Such students may act as tutors, coordinators, administrative aides, or trainers of tutors.  Up to thirty percent of the funds made available under this act may be used by community colleges to pay the employer's obligations under the work-study program when work-study students are used as specified in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of nine hundred eighty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the state board for community college education for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     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.