Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department of labor and industries (L&I) is conducting rule making concerning ESHB 1533, chapter 240, Laws of 2025. The bill added a new section to chapter 49.04 RCW, Apprenticeship, allowing single-employer (01) electrician apprenticeship programs to use apprentices to perform work under their valid electrician specialty certificate without changing the apprentice's status in the (01) program, with some restrictions. Rule making is needed to implement provisions of the new law.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Labor (USDOL), Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship also regulates apprenticeships. L&I will communicate regarding the status of rule making with USDOL and will provide proposed rules for USDOL review and concurrence.

Process for Developing New Rule: L&I will develop rule language in consultation with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council (council), including the council's WAC/RCW policy subcommittee. Parties interested in the formulation of these rules for proposal may contact the individual listed below. The public may also participate by providing written comments and/or spoken testimony during the public hearing and comment period.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kristin Murphy, L&I, Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards, P.O. Box 44530, Olympia, WA 98504-4530, phone 564-999-0975, fax 360-902-4248, TTY 1-800-833-6388, email ApprenticeshipRules@Lni.wa.gov.

Additional comments: For more information on L&I rule making, visit L&I's rule-making activity web page at https://www.Lni.wa.gov/rulemaking-activity/.