issue area reports | employment and labor law
Rep . Suzanne Schmidt , R-Spokane Valley , is ranking minority member of the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee . She is also the House assistant minority whip and member of the House Rules , Transportation , and Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committees .
HB 2226 survey data
Passed / AWB Opposed
sponsor : Rep . Lillian Ortiz-Self , D-Mukilteo
The bill requires the Employment Security Department ( ESD ) to collect certain data pertaining to H-2A workers and conduct annual wage surveys of non-H-2A workers hand-harvesting apples , cherries , pears , and blueberries . AWB opposed this bill because the data and information being collected are unusable and cannot be used by the U . S . Department of Labor . It is a waste of resources to collect it and the data is specifically barred from being used . This bill will put a burden and cost on employers and ESD to collect unusable data that would go into a vacuum . data and technology legislation
SB 5838 establishing an artificial intelligence task force
Passed / AWB Neutral sponsor : Sen . Joe Nguyen , D-White Center
This bill establishes an artificial intelligence task force . AWB testified that any task force should operate with clear definitions , equitable composition of the members , a focused scope of work and neutral administration . We want to make sure that whatever is done with AI , that we are not stifling innovation while still protecting consumers . AI has been in use for years in areas like credit card fraud prevention and spell check . The presumption should be that AI is good ; let ’ s address it to make sure it doesn ’ t get misused as opposed to a presumption that it has to be heavily regulated . For that reason , AWB opposed HB 1951 , a comprehensive algorithm regulation bill . It is premature to regulate AI when there is no agreement on what should be done . AWB also opposed the private right of action included in HB 1951 . AWB also opposed SB 6299 , saying the issue of AI in the workplace should wait for the task force report . AWB supported other AI bills , including HB 1999 , HJM 4005 and SB 6179 .
Bill considered as part of AWB ’ s voting record
Favorable outcome for Washington businesses
Missed Opportunities
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