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SENATE BILL NO. 5693
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AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
C 296 L 87
State of Washington 50th Legislature 1987 Regular Session
By Senators Vognild, Newhouse, Halsan, Conner, Wojahn, Bottiger and Johnson
Read first time 2/6/87 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.
AN ACT Relating to voting access; and adding a new section to chapter 49.28 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 49.28 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, every employer shall arrange employees' working hours on the day of a primary or election, general or special, so that each employee will have a reasonable time up to two hours available for voting during the hours the polls are open as provided by RCW 29.13.080.
If an employee's work schedule does not give the employee two free hours during the time the polls are open, not including meal or rest breaks, the employer shall permit the employee to take a reasonable time up to two hours from the employee's work schedule for voting purposes. In such a case, the employer shall add this time to the time for which the employee is paid.
(2) The provisions of this section apply only if, during the period between the time an employee is informed of his or her work schedule for a primary or election day and the date of the primary or election, there is insufficient time for an absentee ballot to be secured for that primary or election.