HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2545

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to the student‑teacher‑employer‑parent partnership act.

Brief Description:  Establishing a student‑teacher‑employer‑parent contract for working students.

Sponsors:  Representatives Springer, Mastin, Foreman, Wineberry, Karahalios, Kremen, Lemmon, Lisk, Roland, Van Luven, Sheldon, Orr, Kessler, Chandler, Brumsickle, Schoesler, Morris, Quall, Romero, Basich, Ballard, Peery, R. Meyers, Anderson, Linville, Dyer, Tate, Dorn, Brough, Johanson, Pruitt, Carlson, J. Kohl, Jones, Caver, Fuhrman, Moak, Flemming, Eide, Rayburn, Forner, Long, Mielke, Backlund and Cooke.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, February 4, 1994, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Dorn, Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; B. Thomas, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle; Carlson; Eide; Hansen; Karahalios; Roland; Stevens and L. Thomas.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 5 members:  Representatives G. Fisher; Holm; Jones; J. Kohl and Patterson.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  Washington's industrial welfare law authorizes the Department of Labor and Industries to adopt special rules for the safety, health and welfare of minor employees in nonagricultural employment.  The department issues work permits to employers for the employment of minors after being assured the proposed employment meets the standards required in these rules.  The department has adopted rules governing the hours of employment, prohibited occupations, and record-keeping requirements for the employment of minor employees. 

In 1991, the department appointed a Child Labor Advisory Committee to study and make recommendations for changes to the child labor standards. During the year following the committee's report, the department developed new standards that took effect in mid-1993.

The department is authorized to grant variances of the minor work standards.  To grant a variance, the department must determine that the applicant has shown good cause for the lack of compliance.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Department of Labor and Industries is directed to begin an immediate evaluation of its minor work rules, and report to the Governor and Legislature by July 1, 1994.  The report is to include a summary of proposed changes that will assist students, parents, schools, and employees in providing balanced educational and work experiences for youth.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Language pertaining to a "Student, Teacher, Employer, and Parent contract," which allowed variances from the minor work rules, was deleted.  Instead, the Department of Labor and Industries is directed to prepare a report on the minor work rules.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Decisions on work hours need to be done individual-by-individual.  It should be a local decision of the parent, student, school, and employer: not a decision made by a state bureaucracy.  We must trust parents to do what is best for their children.  As a result of the Department of Labor and Industries rules, businesses will be hiring fewer 16 and 17 year olds.

Testimony Against:  The current rules provide enough flexibility.  Students cannot excel in school if they are too tired from flipping burgers all night.  Money from these jobs rarely go to help parents or pay for higher education: it goes to pay for cars and clothes.  In Europe and Japan, students would never be required to work these hours.  Are we going to allow our kids to get a quality education, or work for immediate gain? 

Witnesses:  (PRO) Marsha Holland, Washington State Parent Teacher Association; Brian Barker, Association of Washington School Principals; Lisa Thatcher and Doug Hanken, Washington State Food Dealers; Tony Mernhardt, Independent Business Association; Elnora Hurst, business owner; Lea Hurst, student; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Director's Association; Marcia Costello, Washington Association of School Administrators; Margie Milligan, Dairy Queen; Ben Kym, Red Robin; and Clif Finch, Association of Washington Business.

(CON) Bob Fisher, Washington Education Association; Greg Mowat and Suzanne Mager, Department of Labor and Industries; Ken Kanikeberg, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Bill Pearose, Clover Park Technical College; Robby Stern, Washington State Labor Council; Steve Lansing, Lutheran Public Policy Office; Paula Maranan, The Children's Alliance; Joseph Szwaja, teacher; Rebecca Hover, student; and Steven Aldrich, Hotel Restaurant Employees.