Subject of Possible Rule Making: Industrial insurance, chapter 296-14 WAC.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 51.04.010, 51.04.020, and 51.08.178.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Based on the statutes listed above, the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) establishes and adopts rules governing administration of the industrial insurance laws. The proposed rules would provide the methods and factors used in calculating a workers wage at the time of injury or date of manifestation of an occupational disease. These rules would include clarification of recent supreme court interpretations.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other federal or state agencies regulate this subject.

     Process for Developing New Rule: Labor and industries will begin the rule development process by drafting proposed rules and soliciting input from the business and labor communities. Labor and industries will share the draft proposal with stakeholders and other interested parties, including the Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee. A public hearing will be held in Tumwater after the proposal is filed.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Department of Labor and Industries, Valerie Grimm, Administrative Regulations Analyst, P.O. Box 44208, Olympia, WA 98504-4208, (360) 902-5005, fax (360) 902-4960.

October 3, 2001

Gary Moore

Director

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