OLYMPIA – Last Wednesday marked Senate passage of two important pieces of legislation, House Bill 1458 and House Bill 1499, for freshman Rep. Clyde Shavers’, D-Oak Harbor. HB 1458 establishes a workgroup to address legal and procedural barriers to unemployment insurance (UI) faced by apprentices. HB 1499 will allow community food banks to provide non-food essential items more readily like diapers and hygiene products.
On his first bill passed, Rep. Shavers, who serves as Vice Chair of the House Education Committee, shared that a major impediment to workforce development in trades is economic instability due to disruptions in income. For example, young adults enrolled in apprenticeship programs must leave work to complete classroom training and aren’t paid by their employer. This lack of unemployment insurance flexibility makes training far more difficult to attain.
“It is our job to ensure that our young apprentices are protected and have the means to provide for themselves and their family,” said Rep. Shavers. “By removing barriers for apprentices in the UI system, we acknowledge the unique obstacles they face in completing their programs. Our construction workers, electricians, painters, plumbers, iron workers, mechanics, and so many more deserve this assistance. Providing this temporary financial stability will help them pursue these highly skilled and vitally important professions.”
The second bill Rep. Shavers passed, HB 1499, would direct the Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to not restrict funding up to 25 percent to community food banks that may be used for essential nonfood items. Currently, food banks experience critical shortages in baby food, feminine products, and other nonfood items – especially during crisis. This problem is worsened by a lack of funding flexibility in policy for those items.
“This bill gives more freedom to food banks in meeting the immediate needs of our communities,” said Rep. Shavers. “When discussing community resiliency, allowing local food banks to serve their community better is a critical part of that equation. This is a tremendous opportunity to support our children, families, and veterans experiencing food insecurity and nonfood essential shortages.”
House Bill 1458 passed the Senate with a vote of 41 to 7. House Bill 1499 passed the Senate with a vote of 42 to 7. Both bills were signed by the President of the Senate on March 24th and the Speaker of the House on March 27th. They now head to the Governor.