H-0103.1          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 1109

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Jones, Peery, Brough, Jacobsen, Miller, Brumsickle, Rasmussen, Betrozoff, Pruitt, G. Fisher, Phillips, Valle, Holland, Dorn, Roland, Dellwo, Braddock, Cole, Sprenkle, R. King, Winsley, Ferguson, Riley, Vance, Wineberry, Scott, Broback, Leonard, R. Johnson, Ludwig, Silver, H. Myers, Cooper and Brekke.

 

Read first time January 18, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Education.Creating a task force on children of substance abusers.


     AN ACT Relating to education; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that an increasing number of children are entering the state's public schools with learning impairments caused by the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco by their mothers during pregnancy.  Many of these children suffer from mental retardation, poor social abilities, low cognitive skills, attention deficit disorders, hyperactivity, or speech problems.

     The legislature further finds that educating these children will require additional resources, and perhaps new educational strategies and techniques.  The extent of these additional resources and the most appropriate strategies and techniques are not known at this time.  If additional resources are not provided, teachers will be required to devote significant time to these students to the detriment of other children in the classroom.

     The legislature further finds that many of these learning impairments are preventable, and that increased parental education on the effects of substance abuse during pregnancy would aid in reducing the number of children with learning impairments.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  The task force on the children of substance abusers is created.  The task force shall:

     (1)  Identify the current and projected number of children in Washington who have learning impairments caused by mothers who abused alcohol or drugs during pregnancy, and the number who are in, or will be entering, Washington's public schools.  The task force shall also investigate the nature of the special needs of these children;

     (2)  Review current social service and public school programs to address the special needs of these children, and prepare an analysis of the adequacy of these programs;

     (3)  Review current educational programs designed to reduce substance abuse during pregnancy, and prepare an analysis of the adequacy of these programs; and

     (4)  Develop recommendations for enhancing, enlarging, or replacing the existing social service and educational programs for these children and their parents.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  (1) Membership on the task force shall include representatives from the:

     (a) Senate, one each from the majority and minority parties, selected by the president of the senate;

     (b) House of representatives, one each from the majority and minority parties, selected by the speaker of the house of representatives;

     (c) Office of the superintendent of public instruction;

     (d) Department of health;

     (e) County health departments;

     (f) Department of social and health services, bureau of alcohol and substance abuse;

     (g) University of Washington's center for child development and mental retardation;

     (h) Washington education association;

     (i) Association of Washington school principals;

     (j) Washington state school directors' association;

     (k) Washington association of school administrators;

     (l) Washington state parent-teachers association; and

     (m) Learning disability association of Washington.

     (2) Organizations shall select their respective representatives.  The task force shall select a chair from among its members at its first meeting.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  Staff support for the task force shall be provided by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  The task force shall report its final findings and recommendations to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature before December 1, 1991.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  The task force shall expire December 31, 1991.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  The sum of thirty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the office of the superintendent of public instruction to provide support to the task force.