H-3435.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2586

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By Representatives L. Johnson, Leonard, Long, Eide, Kessler, J. Kohl, Appelwick, Roland, Cothern, Forner, Romero, Wood, Valle, Thibaudeau, Brown, Patterson, Conway, Caver, Campbell, Pruitt, Holm, Ogden, Dunshee, Jones, Brough, King, Rayburn and Anderson

Read first time 01/19/94.  Referred to Committee on Human Services.

Providing services to victims of domestic violence and  their children.

    AN ACT Relating to domestic violence; amending RCW 70.123.010 and 70.123.070; and making an appropriation.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 70.123.010 and 1979 ex.s. c 245 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The legislature finds that domestic violence is an issue of growing concern at all levels of government and that there is a present and growing need to develop innovative strategies and services which will ameliorate and reduce the trauma of domestic violence.  Research findings show that domestic violence constitutes a significant percentage of homicides, aggravated assaults, and assaults and batteries in the United States.  Domestic violence is a disruptive influence on personal and community life and is often interrelated with a number of other family problems and stresses.  Shelters for victims of domestic violence and their children are essential to provide protection to victims and their children from further abuse and physical harm and to help the victim and children find long-range alternative living situations, if requested.  Shelters provide safety, refuge, advocacy, and helping resources to victims and their children who may not have access to such things if they remain in abusive situations.

    The legislature therefore recognizes the need for the state-wide development and expansion of shelters for victims of domestic violence.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 70.123.070 and 1979 ex.s. c 245 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    Shelters receiving state funds under this chapter shall:

    (1) Make available shelter services to any person who is a victim of domestic violence and to that person's children;

    (2) Encourage victims, with the financial means to do so, to reimburse the shelter for the services provided;

    (3) Recruit, to the extent feasible, persons who are former victims of domestic violence to work as volunteers or staff personnel.  An effort shall also be made to provide bilingual services;

    (4) Provide prevention and treatment programs to victims of domestic violence((,)) and their children, including but not limited to parenting support for victims, education and conflict resolution skills, and information and referral services, and, where possible, the abuser;

    (5) Provide a day program or drop-in center to assist victims of domestic violence who have found other shelter but who have a need for support services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of one million two hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund-state to the department of social and health services for the purposes of this act.

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