S-1608.1

SECOND SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5236

BySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Keiser, Conway, Wellman, Braun, Saldaña, Hasegawa, Wilson, C., Kuderer, Takko, Das, and Frockt)

AN ACT Relating to encouraging apprenticeships; amending RCW 28B.77.230; adding a new section to chapter 49.04 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to appropriation, the department of labor and industries shall, through the supervisor of apprenticeship, employ a coordinator to do outreach and assist in establishing registered apprenticeship programs where they do not exist in public education and the health care industry.

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult with the coordinator established in subsection (1) of this section to do outreach and assist in establishing apprenticeship and training programs where they do not exist in public education.

(3) The department of health shall consult with the coordinator established in subsection (1) of this section and health professional associations to do outreach and assist in establishing apprenticeship and training programs where they do not exist in the health care industry.

Sec. 3. RCW 28B.77.230 and 2012 c 229 s 116 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The council, the state board for community and technical colleges, the council of presidents, the four-year institutions of higher education, the private independent higher education institutions, and the private career schools shall collaborate to carry out the following goals:

(a) Increase the number of students who receive academic credit for prior learning and the number of students who receive credit for prior learning that counts towards their major or towards earning their degree, certificate, or credential, while ensuring that credit is awarded only for high quality, course-level competencies;

(b) Increase the number and type of academic credits accepted for prior learning in institutions of higher education, while ensuring that credit is awarded only for high quality, course-level competencies;

(c) Develop transparent policies and practices in awarding academic credit for prior learning;

(d) Improve prior learning assessment practices across the institutions of higher education;

(e) Create tools to develop faculty and staff knowledge and expertise in awarding credit for prior learning and to share exemplary policies and practices among institutions of higher education;

(f) Develop articulation agreements when patterns of credit for prior learning are identified for particular programs and pathways; and

(g) Develop outcome measures to track progress on the goals outlined in this section.

(2) The council shall convene the academic credit for prior learning work group.

(a) The work group must include the following members:

(i) One representative from the council;

(ii) One representative from the state board for community and technical colleges;

(iii) One representative from the council of presidents;

(iv) Two representatives each from faculty from two and four-year institutions of higher education;

(v) Two representatives from private career schools;

(vi) Two representatives from business; ((and))

(vii) Two representatives from labor;

(viv) One representative from the office of the lieutenant governor.

(b) The purpose of the work group is to coordinate and implement the goals in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The council shall report progress on the goals and outcome measures annually by December ((31st))10th.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "prior learning" means the knowledge and skills gained through work and life experience; through military training and experience; through hours of work and instruction as a registered apprentice; and through formal and informal education and training from in-state and out-of-state institutions including foreign institutions.

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