5659-S2.E AMH WALL REIN 130

E2SSB 5659 - H AMD TO H AMD (H-3529.2/07) 818

By Representative Wallace

WITHDRAWN 4/13/2007

   On page 1, after line 2, strike all of sections 1 through 10 and insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)(a) The joint legislative task force on family and medical leave insurance is established, with members as provided in this subsection.

   (i) The majority leader of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

   (ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

   (iii) The majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives jointly shall appoint five nonlegislative members of the task force, which shall include one member representing large business, one member representing small business, one member representing labor, one member representing health care, and one member representing senior citizens.

   (iv) The governor shall appoint one member of the task force.

   (b) The majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives jointly shall appoint the cochairs of the task force from among the legislative members of the task force. The cochairs shall convene the initial meeting of the task force. A steering committee consisting of the legislative members of the task force shall advise the cochairs on the meetings and other activities of the task force.

   (2) The task force shall study the establishment of a family and medical leave insurance program including, but not limited to, the following:

   (a) The purposes of leave for which benefits are payable;

   (b) The manner in which such benefits and the administrative costs should be financed;

   (c) The manner in which the program should be implemented and administered;

   (d) Any government efficiencies which should be adopted to improve program administration and reduce program costs; and

   (e) The impacts, if any, of the family and medical leave insurance program on the unemployment compensation system, and options for mitigating such impacts.

   (3) Staff support for the task force must be provided by the senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research. The task force may hire additional staff with specific technical expertise if such expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of this study, and only if an appropriation is specifically provided for this purpose.

   (4) Legislative members of the task force must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

   (5) The expenses of the task force must be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.

   (6) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations, which shall include proposed legislation, to the legislature by January 1, 2008.

   (7) This section expires July 1, 2009.

   NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. 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 takes effect immediately."

EFFECT: Establishes a 10-member task force (instead of a 12-member task force). Specifies that task force members include:

   •     Four legislative members representing each caucus (instead of six legislative members with two from each of the largest caucuses and one from each of the next largest caucuses); and

   •     One non-legislative member representing health care and one non-legislative member representing senior citizens (instead of women and interests in children's early learning and/or health).

Directs the task force to study the purposes of leave for which benefits are payable.

Deletes sections relating to findings and declarations, definitions, benefits, leave and employment protection, and administrative costs.