By Senator Braun

ADOPTED 3/10/2015

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  "The department of labor and industries shall convene, no later than August 1, 2015, a benefit accuracy working group to develop recommendations to improve the calculation of wages under the industrial insurance program. The director must appoint members to the working group as follows: Two members representing labor, two members representing employers, and at least two members representing the department of labor and industries. Members must serve without compensation, but must be entitled to travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. All expenses of this working group must be paid by the department. The working group must focus on improving the accuracy, simplicity, fairness, and consistency of calculating and providing wage replacement benefits and shall not consider overall reductions in existing worker benefit levels. The working group must report to the relevant committees of the legislature by February 1, 2016, and issue a final report that includes any legislative proposals arising from its work no later than September 1, 2016."

By Senator Braun

ADOPTED 3/10/2015

On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "benefits;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and creating a new section."

EFFECT: Strikes the underlying bill and directs L&I to convene a working group to develop recommendations to improve the accuracy, simplicity, fairness, and consistency of calculating and providing wage replacement benefits under the industrial insurance system.