S-4346               _______________________________________________

                                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8431

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Madsen, Johnson, Smitherman and Thorsness

Read first time 1/22/90 and referred to Committee on Economic Development & Labor.

WHEREAS, The recent events in Eastern Europe have resulted in proposals for reductions in military unprecedented in scope and magnitude; and

          WHEREAS, Department of defense expenditures in Washington State provide more than two hundred thousand jobs; and

          WHEREAS, It is predicted defense spending will be reduced by approximately one-third over the next ten years; and

          WHEREAS, A one-third reduction of military spending in Washington State could result in many workers becoming unemployed, putting an intolerable burden on Washington's unemployment insurance program and on the social agencies in the state;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a legislative task force on United States military expenditures and their impact on Washington's economy be established as a means of determining and preparing for possible changes in department of defense spending in Washington State and the potential impact this could have on the state economy and on employment.  The task force shall study and evaluate the potential for reduced defense spending in Washington, the potential impact on the state economy, and possible mitigation measures; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force consist of ten members, two of whom shall be senators, representing the majority and the minority, appointed by the President of the Senate; two of whom shall be representatives, representing the majority and the minority, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; one of whom shall be the director of the office of financial management or the director's designee; one of whom shall be the director of the employment security department or the director's designee; one of whom shall be the director of the department of trade and economic development or the director's designee; one of whom shall be the adjutant general of the Washington national guard or the adjutant general's designee; one of whom shall represent labor unions in the State of Washington, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and one of whom shall represent employers in the State of Washington, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its progress and status to the legislature at the regular session of the legislature held in 1991, and its final findings and recommendations to the legislature at the regular session of the legislature held in 1992.