Sen. Honeyford's November 12 letter to ESD

December 23, 2003

12 November 2003

Dr. Sylvia P. Mundy, Commissioner
Department of Employment Security
Mail Stop: 6000
Olympia WA 98507-9046

Dear Commissioner Mundy:

I am writing regarding the proposed rules to implement 2ESB 6097.

It is very disturbing that the agency did not contact me as the prime sponsor of the legislation and chair of the Senate Commerce and Trade committee as to the intent of language dealing with the reduction of weekly benefits from thirty weeks to twenty-six weeks. I find that your agency, in developing rules to implement this legislation, is attempting to interpret legislative intent.

My intent, as sponsor of the legislation, was for the reduction to transition from the thirty weeks to the twenty-six weeks, and then the twenty-six weeks would be the permanent time frame for benefits.

The change in language to implement this change was specifically designed to allow the transition for employees who would be laid off in the very near future. It was not intended to be a floating or fluctuating target.

Again, I wish to emphasize that my intent as the prime sponsor of the legislation and chair of the Senate Commerce and Trade committee was for the benefit week to be permanently reduced to twenty-six weeks. There was never any debate or discussion here in the Legislature that the intent was otherwise.

The proposed rules change this legislation.

I await your response.

Sincerely,

JIM HONEYFORD
State Senator
15th Legislative District

cc: Juanita Myers, UI Rules Coordinator
Anthony Anton
Kathleen Collins
Tom Dooley

PDF copy of Senator Honeyford's 11/12 letter

Contact: Jason Mercier | Budget Research Analyst | 360.956.3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org