Tens of thousands of high school students who complete job training programs and earn credentials will have fewer barriers to entering the workforce, thanks to two bills recently signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson. 

The two bills – House bills 1414 and 1722 – were sponsored by state Rep. April Connors of Kennewick.  

One bill will increase the size of the state’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) task force and charge it with identifying state agency-imposed restrictions that prevent students from receiving training, certification or employment in their chosen fields.  

The task force will also review labor rules that block minors from working in licensed professions, review restrictions on working hours for students in CTE programs and evaluate how school district approval processes may limit access base on age.

The other bill will require state agencies to revise rules that prevent 16- and 17-year-olds from fully participating in CTE programs, testing for professional licenses, or working in the fields they’ve been trained for. The law specifically targets outdated restrictions affecting certified nursing assistants, firefighter trainees, and emergency medical services students. 

“These reforms send a clear message: We trust our young people, we believe in their potential, and we’re ready to let them build their future,” Connors said in a release.