S-4368               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6598

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Talmadge, Fleming and Bauer

Read first time 1/27/88 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to foster care; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes the need for foster care and the importance of foster care in the social services delivery system.  The legislature also recognizes the corresponding need for planning for the permanent care of children and for providing a full range of services to prevent children from going into foster care.  These services include but are not limited to, programs such as the home builders program and parenting education programs.  The legislature also recognizes the specific need of foster care and preventive services for minorities.

          The legislature further recognizes the need for adequate funding for foster care.  However, the legislature further finds close scrutiny of spending will help maintain adequate cost controls.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The legislative budget committee shall conduct an audit on the foster care service delivery system.  In the audit, the legislative budget committee shall specifically study the allocation of foster care resources to minorities and make recommendations on methods of better providing access to services to minorities.  The legislative budget committee shall submit its report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature not later than December 15, 1988.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of nine million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purposes of providing foster care services with special emphasis on improved foster care and preventive services for minorities.