Washington Business 2019 Legislative Review & Vote Record | Page 17

issue area reports | education and workforce
House Majority Floor Leader Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, a member of the House Education Committee, chats with
Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane, who is an assistant ranking minority member on the committee.
SHB 1336/ E2SSB 5327
expanding career connected
learning opportunities
Failed/AWB Supported
Details in E2SHB 2158 summary.
E2SHB 2158
creating a workforce
education investment to
train washington students
for washington jobs
Passed/AWB Opposed
Substitute House Bill 1336, sponsored by
Rep. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, and
Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill
5327, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Wellman,
D -Mercer I sl a nd , were t he or ig i n a l
Career Connect Learning bills put forth by
the governor’s proposal to fund programs
that provided work-based learning oppor-
tunities for students in the K-12 system
and some post-secondary programs. The
governor’s proposal funded these efforts
Bill considered as part of
AWB’s voting record
with a $110 million request. Unfortunately,
both bills were rolled up into Engrossed
Second Substitute House Bill 2158, the
“Workforce Education Investment Act”
sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen D-Bain-
bridge Isla nd. This leg islation places
the burden of the cost of investments in
higher education and workforce training
programs on specified service businesses
identified by 43 descriptions drawn from
NAICS codes. Core services like education
should be paid for from a broad tax base,
and be accounted for in the general fund,
not “dedicated accounts.” This legislation
increases taxes by about $800 million
over four years on service businesses in
a time of robust natural revenue growth.
W h i le AW B suppor t s Ca reer Con-
nected Learning and other education and
workforce training programs, we did not
support the funding efforts in E2SHB 2158
which passed the House 52-46 and the
Senate concurred with final passage by a
vote of 25-22.
Favorable outcome for
Washington businesses
Rep. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, serves on
the House College & Workforce Development
Committee.
Missed Opportunities
special edition 2019
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