S-0062.4

SENATE BILL 5627

BySenators Brown and Keiser

AN ACT Relating to establishing the healthy energy workers board; and adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW.

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

(2) The University of Washington, through the center of excellence for chemically related illness at Harborview medical center, and the department of labor and industries, shall provide administrative support to the healthy energy workers board, including making arrangements for the inaugural meeting of the board and subsequent meetings.

(3) The healthy energy workers board is composed of the following members, who must be appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate in accordance with RCW 43.06.092:

(a) An individual representing the United States department of energy Richland operations office;

(b) An individual representing the central Washington building and construction trades council;

(c) The director of the department of labor and industries, or the director's designee;

(d) The state secretary of health, or the secretary's designee;

(e) An individual representing the Hanford atomic metal trades council;

(f) An individual representing the United States department of energy office of river protection; and

(g) An individual representing Harborview medical center.

(4) Members are appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed.

(5) In addition to the members appointed to the healthy energy workers board under subsection (3) of this section, medical professionals employed by the University of Washington or Harborview medical center may be invited by the director of the department of labor and industries, in consultation with the University of Washington or Harborview medical center, to participate in an advisory capacity in meetings of the board. Individuals participating in an advisory capacity under this subsection are not members of the board and are not subject to the appointment process established in this section. There is no limit to the number of individuals who may participate in board meetings in an advisory capacity under this subsection.

(6) The healthy energy workers board shall hold its inaugural meeting by October 1, 2019. The board may hold subsequent meetings at its discretion, but shall meet at least two times per year.

(7) The healthy energy workers board shall focus on the following subjects:

(a) Research and development of protocols for diagnosing diseases or other health problems that may be the result of exposure to hazardous substances or other dangerous conditions at the Hanford site;

(b) Research and development of patient monitoring or surveillance strategies that will result in the collection of data regarding long-term outcomes for workers who have been treated for diseases or other health problems that may be linked to working at the Hanford site;

(c) Surveying data and information, including data and information from other states and nations, that may be helpful to developing strategies for diagnosing and treating diseases or other health problems that may be linked to working at the Hanford site; and

(d) Discussing and making recommendations regarding public health programs that may be developed at the state level to benefit workers who have worked, or are working, at the Hanford site.

(8) The healthy energy workers board shall provide a report to the legislature by December 1st each year beginning in 2020 documenting the activities of the board and reporting on the subjects listed in subsection (7) of this section. The department of labor and industries may provide staff support to the board for the purpose of authoring the report and transmitting it to the legislature. Any member of the board may provide a minority report as an appendix to the report submitted to the legislature under this section.

(9) The healthy energy workers board is a class one group under RCW 43.03.220.

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