[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6100924,"mediaKeyId","2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec","parentId",2810934,"title","Bill would let specialty electricians keep working while enrolled in journey‑level apprenticeship","audioSeconds",3963,"startMs",899000,"endMs",4862000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec&start=899&end=4862","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec/thumbnail_899000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6100924/Washington/Bill-would-let-specialty-electricians-keep-working-while-enrolled-in-journeylevel-apprenticeship","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100924-060fcdabbf2ccaf5cff43c2ccad0c216/orig.mp4?Expires=1770837353&Signature=PZbI-krbksWHIV~Zsd7QHAYnLMiRn0p3PrHuznBjFpcxCHfa5v3jZiFyORHQ5iKGyFwRConKqPk2TahfY19l4M9N07GHawq-FFS5R3-1CXS9QA4K7GoG7ch3TsAXSzFS-Tf6aV-qNmvxgZ5szya1KQp0go-zMDxzqlHvFUt8DU90Dpw8PnDKXf-eHxN4YEHf1lG0kRAYGO5~i3aNzoGKhvtGA-fSb5W9M3NAcigSZv3PTTDCyoeseQ9r9yU26DkBKL2FnuyNpGej7bYW7zj4cf14fRn~bKJpozUGRzh6qvtBKRf2wZScJeeR7Ertar~1jbYaIqhb5SdyWyQOftjMEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington Legislature","date","2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 1533 would allow an individual holding a specialty electrician certificate of competency to continue performing specialty work for a single employer while enrolled in a journey‑level apprenticeship program, provided the employer follows reporting and notification requirements, committee staff said.

Jarrett Sachs, committee staff, summarized the measure: for single‑employer apprenticeship plans an employer may use an apprentice to perform work under the apprentice’s specialty electrician certificate if the employer submits a quarterly attestation of the apprentice’s specialty hours to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and provides annual written notice to the apprentice of the employer’s intent to use the apprentice for specialty work. The specialty work would not count toward hours required to complete the apprenticeship program, and an employer is exempt from the apprenticeship standard requiring reasonable continuous employment so long as the employer provides at least 800 working hours per year that count toward the apprentice’s apprenticeship experience. Sachs said a fiscal note shows an estimated $356,000 cost for L&I, including about $150,000 from accident and medical aid accounts and the remainder from the electrical‑licensing account.

Representative Schmidt, sponsor, framed the bill as a rural and small‑employer fix. He told the committee that a 2017 law shifted electrician pathways so more candidates must complete approved apprenticeship programs, and that small, single‑employer apprenticeship plans in rural areas had trouble with the suspension model that previously forced employers to suspend apprentices from work while they completed new requirements. \"We didn't want to take away if they had a certification, a license that they already earned,\" Schmidt said, and argued the bill preserves workers' ability to earn a living while completing additional apprenticeship training.

Two industry witnesses spoke in support during public testimony. Carolyn Logue of Associated Builders and Contractors’ Inland Pacific Chapter said the measure helps contractors in rural communities that perform multiple types of work and want employees to gain commercial apprenticeship experience without losing specialty work needed for local projects. Matthew Heppner, executive director of Certified Electrical Workers of Washington and a journeyman electrician, said the bill balances flexibility and accountability and asked for enforcement of the 800‑hour annual minimum; he said the caucus compromise was an acceptable starting point.

Committee members did not record a final vote on HB 1533 in the provided transcript; staff heard multiple proponent witnesses and indicated stakeholders had worked collaboratively on draft language.

Next steps: Committee paused to caucus and proceed through other bills; HB 1533 received sponsor and industry support and may return to committee for executive consideration or to be rolled into further action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Labor & Commerce - 3/28/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1533 would let specialty‑certificate electricians continue to perform specialty work for a single employer while enrolled in a journey‑level apprenticeship if the employer submits quarterly attestations and provides required notices to the apprentice.","taxTitle","Labor & Commerce, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20507,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100929,"Bill would extend Washington's cannabis social‑equity program and require an evaluation",371,397000,768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec&start=397&end=768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6100929/Washington/Bill-would-extend-Washingtons-cannabis-socialequity-program-and-require-an-evaluation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100929-de868af71173407bb0b3248a2fd49a36/orig.mp4?Expires=1770837353&Signature=cWfpVEcfG5pDK0bKx7~uPbRESIGqcGbs6CXmWnzIK3NXPT2AgmQcVeL8lYQblRQ05jHm~q7-L2i7y7CG34lmMfxJtBDhC51Fg6bhYF2Xy9bcXeKJAVSiwZk3cHDGrXZdIX7b9FCJksELnh~hAcQa2U7oyQfy10uhikV8Nxu1BMlxG0SWmbMYx3JAxIunhGM-YU~6cXkKFVXoq7L~E1xPejkA1Mgzmj1u6d1nAhXubP3G8ichoHpTZCTZVYNCSFdRCa2CXpPN1muZ9G~gUahYw~G3GqvWE5ouW50X4fNmbGW~dvJZyHBSaMZhR3U48yHTE8-GdIIMXWAOD730AlDXXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1551 would extend the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) cannabis social‑equity program for two years and require a formal evaluation of the program’s implementation and outcomes, sponsor Representative Christine Reeves told the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee.

Committee staff Marlin Yanez summarized background: Washington currently operates two related social‑equity efforts — an LCB licensing program, created with input from the Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force and set to expire on July 1, 2032, and a Department of Commerce technical‑assistance grant program for qualifying applicants. The bill would move the program expiration to July 1, 2034 and require LCB to evaluate the program and report findings to the governor and appropriate legislative committees by Dec. 1, 2025. Yanez said the House passed the bill 57‑39; a fiscal note had been requested but was not yet available.

Representative Christine Reeves, sponsor and a legislator from the 30th District, said the measure is intended to assess whether the state’s initial round of social‑equity licenses delivered meaningful economic opportunity to people harmed by the war on drugs. Reeves told lawmakers that anecdotal feedback highlights persistent barriers: siting, access to capital, and local bans that limit where licensees can operate. She said roughly 40 licenses were issued in the first round and that the second round contemplates many more licenses across retail, processor and producer categories.

\"We should probably take that report and then bring that information back to the legislature to work with our agencies, to work with our licensees, to make sure that the licenses that we are issuing are actually valuable commodities,\" Reeves said, arguing the bill does not pause or delay a second round but adds an evaluation to inform it.

The bill would also remove a grant‑eligibility restriction that limited Commerce’s technical‑assistance grants to licensees licensed only within a narrow April 2023–July 2024 window. Reeves said the extension is designed to improve the chance that the second round of licensing results in commercially viable opportunities for social‑equity applicants.

Committee members asked for clarification about whether legislative changes between rounds had already addressed some rubric issues and portability concerns; Reeves said the second round had already been informed by lessons from the first round but that a formal evaluation would provide quantitative evidence to guide further reforms.

No committee vote on HB 1551 was recorded in the transcript provided; staff said a fiscal note had been requested and would be provided later.","House Bill 1551 would extend the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s social‑equity program to 2034 and require the board to submit an evaluation by Dec. 1, 2025; sponsor Rep. Christine Reeves said the review aims to assess siting, access to capital and technical assistance for social‑equity licensees before a larger second round of licensing.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100934,"Bill would require bargaining when AI changes public employees’ pay or evaluations",1704,3341000,5045000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec&start=3341&end=5045","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec/thumbnail_3341000.jpg","/articles/6100934/Washington/Bill-would-require-bargaining-when-AI-changes-public-employees-pay-or-evaluations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100934-4aeb4ec218c61925c1c51eebf7058236/orig.mp4?Expires=1770837353&Signature=Eh4YI1Gyk5KwZhsEg03~4-kSfOfwYP4BPweV3rDx0ZyrTvmK2wlarPOeoFXyBfp5TWisbvzn1agu0D315HK0STjJpKR5JgYT7ywCluf0gV6TL29kke7TmJEMztXARAy5W0RGNm6dp9ceeOUAepaEusy7VtBy3q4RtgitGAYmpMqPZiIuuTsGIOAPyDTmbRHzeAR~dBAasE2KXFLdIXKi~~GUPuXUWUZLsGogcCFPoLmROfQ5Z03dUXffRqvmiFDhc4MiRBcKtv5qxSuSaAwJh6p7Bts0TV7H-SgsshOnV6dz6kHVjH3bQo5eZmAPvFXqPF-aWnML5LRfibVeMR2-8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1622 would require public employers covered by Washington’s Personnel System Reform Act and the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act to bargain over decisions to adopt or materially change artificial-intelligence (AI) systems when those decisions affect employee wages or performance evaluations, staff told the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee.

Jarrett Sachs, staff to the committee, told lawmakers the bill keeps statutory definitions of “AI” and “machine learning” and, unlike the Senate companion, excludes certain third‑party updates from bargaining requirements if the update does not meaningfully affect wages or evaluations. Sachs said the Office of Financial Management’s labor relations unit estimated about $1,200,000 in costs tied to implementation, with additional costs expected for higher education and local governments.

The change would limit the long-standing prohibition on bargaining over management rights to permit bargaining only when AI affects mandatory subjects such as compensation or the way employees are evaluated. \"We don't want them to be evaluated by AI,\" sponsor Representative Lisa Parshley said, urging the committee to advance the bill so the Legislature can continue the discussion.

Public witnesses representing labor and public‑sector unions urged lawmakers to approve the change. Sharika Carter, secretary‑treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, said the bill gives public employees parity with private‑sector workers and “a sense of stability” when technology affects jobs. Katie Durkin of the Washington Federation of State Employees said federal examples show AI can be used to automate employee discipline and termination and argued for guardrails. Christine Reid of IBEW Local 77 warned that customer‑facing utility roles can pose life‑safety implications that automated systems may not adequately address.

The committee paused public testimony to move to caucus and then into executive session; no final committee vote on HB 1622 was recorded in the transcript. Committee leaders said they planned to resume public testimony and further consideration at a later meeting.

Because the bill is narrowly drafted to require bargaining only where wages or evaluations are affected, its supporters said it balances employers’ operational needs with workers’ interests in how new technology is used.

Next steps: Committee staff and the bill sponsors indicated additional public testimony and caucusing would continue the following week; no floor action or committee vote was recorded in the provided transcript.","House Bill 1622 would require public employers to bargain over the decision to adopt or modify artificial-intelligence systems when those changes affect employees’ wages or performance evaluations; the measure was introduced and drew public testimony at the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee but received no final vote during the session.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100919,"Senate Labor & Commerce advances multiple labor bills; committee approves several measures in executive session",3514,1342000,4856000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec&start=1342&end=4856","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2810934-5df915749e77a8577350ca68af3d63ec/thumbnail_1342000.jpg","/articles/6100919/Washington/Senate-Labor-Commerce-advances-multiple-labor-bills-committee-approves-several-measures-in-executive-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100919-d720980a7cef90674bdf03c0ffe2abac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770837353&Signature=RtkPLgiWBgFUn2RmFsw6sQkcXnQAMHYzS1vyvVOombxlUBJKvea7qSdRa4KCzu~1qTDUqulKWVL87FXYmTes7jNsaEMPeJJTESQI6ZzVMj9NyUaHVPRByEpCcXGkx3EmGWBJgAyu53sG~Foyxlx~Fctwtj~hlrSIDkWOIFRCzLdhvCi-xQbUWtMPeTh5XzTZ8hLHxcBHWkVt8WMz0GORiOMAp-K-CSDVcFnhKEYnZs~hRB6EothfyrMTTj0-52UDN~gPV4y2zYYszEdbtihTqyPdXjR8K-EcU3wdqpjj3JU7TEs9VhXrBl474QAxMnL1VSrWMjAo7Z1Wc2~QfpqGMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Labor & Commerce Committee considered a wide set of labor and employment bills in executive session and by voice vote on Oct. 12. Committee officers repeatedly used voice votes to adopt or reject amendments and to advance bills; the transcript records motions to send bills to rules or to the next committee and announcements that bills \"have passed subject to signatures.\" No roll‑call tallies with named votes were recorded in the provided transcript.

Bills and committee actions recorded in the transcript include:

- Engrossed House Bill 11 73: Committee staff described amendments; an adopted technical amendment was rolled into a striking amendment and the committee moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The chair announced the bill \"has passed subject to signatures.\" (Action: advanced to Rules)

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 16 44 (student learners/minor employment): Multiple amendments were considered; several were rejected and some technical amendments were adopted. The committee moved a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee for the bill as amended.

- Substitute House Bill 11 21 (restrictions on 16‑ and 17‑year‑old working hours for CTE participants): The committee moved and approved a due‑pass recommendation to Rules. Staff noted an indeterminate fiscal impact in the department’s analysis.

- Substitute House Bill 13 08 (personnel records): The committee considered amendments that would remove a private right of action and make the Department of Labor & Industries the enforcement authority under a stepped approach; after debate the committee moved a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 12 13 (paid family & medical leave changes): The committee considered multiple amendments (hours thresholds, eligibility periods, grants for small employers). After amendment debate the committee rolled amendments into a striking amendment and moved the bill with a due‑pass recommendation to Ways & Means; staff provided preliminary fiscal estimates indicating increased premium collections and administrative costs in later years.

- Engrossed House Bill 17 47 (Washington Fair Chance Act amendments): The committee considered amendments including employer documentation requirements and an exception for certain federally insured depository institutions. After debate the bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 10 69 (bargaining over contributions to supplemental retirement/medical plans): Committee considered a staff amendment making employee contributions voluntary and clarifying the state's role; after amendment votes the committee adopted a striking amendment and moved the bill to Ways & Means with a due‑pass recommendation.

Notes on voting and procedure

- Most actions recorded in the transcript were voice votes; the proceedings show \"all in favor say aye\" followed by an announcement of passage or rejection. The transcript did not record roll‑call tallies or member‑level votes for these committee actions.

- Several amendments were explicitly adopted and incorporated into striking amendments; others were rejected by voice vote after debate. In multiple instances sponsors and committee staff said they expected to bring items back or to continue caucusing before final floor action.

What this means

The committee advanced a package of labor and employment bills to Rules and Ways & Means for further consideration. Because the transcript records voice votes without roll calls, the committee-level outcomes recorded here indicate committee approval to move bills forward but do not show individual senator votes or final floor action.","During the Oct. 12 Senate Labor & Commerce meeting the committee approved due‑pass recommendations or advanced multiple bills by voice vote or motion; several amendments were adopted or rejected in executive session. The committee recorded no roll‑call tallies in the transcript.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would let specialty electricians keep working while enrolled in journey‑level apprenticeship

Bill would extend Washington's cannabis social‑equity program and require an evaluation

Bill would require bargaining when AI changes public employees’ pay or evaluations

Senate Labor & Commerce advances multiple labor bills; committee approves several measures in executive session