BILL REQ. #: S-1127.2
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/29/2007. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Rural Economic Development.
AN ACT Relating to creating the community agricultural worker safety grant program; adding a new section to chapter 15.04 RCW; creating a new section; making appropriations; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that agricultural
workers are challenged not only in finding full-time, year-round work,
but also face difficulties in upgrading their agricultural skills. The
legislature also finds that the agricultural industry's demand for
skilled workers far outnumbers the current supply. In addition, the
legislature finds that despite recent advances in the safety of
agricultural production, additional training of agricultural workers
should assist the agricultural sector in ongoing efforts to reduce
occupational injuries. The legislature therefore intends that training
opportunities for agricultural workers be provided through a community
agricultural worker safety grant program administered by the Washington
state department of agriculture.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 15.04 RCW
to read as follows:
The department shall administer the community agricultural worker
safety grant program. Grant recipients shall provide training for the
state's agricultural workers in tractor and farm machinery skills and
safety, pesticide training, adult basic skills, civics, English as a
second language, commercial drivers' licensing, and other related
topics. A grant recipient may receive up to two hundred fifty thousand
dollars per year.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand
dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, from the general fund to the
department of agriculture for the purposes of this act.
(2) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much
thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the department of agriculture
for the purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 Sections 1 and 2 of this act expire July 1,
2012.