AN ACT Relating to child abuse or neglect by a school employee; amending RCW 26.44.063; reenacting and amending RCW 74.13.031; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.87 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.87 RCW to read as follows:

When an incident of child abuse or neglect is reported under chapter 26.44 RCW, and it is alleged that a school employee committed the act of child abuse or neglect during the course of his or her employment, the law enforcement agency or the department of social and health services shall investigate the report under chapter 26.44 RCW. The person making the report may specifically request that the investigation be conducted by the department of social and health services or by the local law enforcement agency, or both. The school district board of directors, school principal, school district superintendent, or other interested party may seek the restraining order provided under RCW 26.44.063.

Sec. 2. Section 1, chapter 35, Laws of 1985 as amended by section 3, chapter 190, Laws of 1988 and RCW 26.44.063 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) It is the intent of the legislature to minimize trauma to a child involved in an allegation of sexual or physical abuse. The legislature declares that removing the child from the home often has the effect of further traumatizing the child. It is, therefore, the legislature's intent that the alleged offender, rather than the child, shall be removed from the home and that this should be done at the earliest possible point of intervention in accordance with RCW 10.31.100, 13.34.130, this section, and RCW 26.44.130. The legislature further recognizes that it is necessary to protect children in school settings and that school employees should be removed from positions where they have contact with children at the earliest possible point of an investigation.

(2) In any judicial proceeding in which it is alleged that a child has been subjected to sexual or physical abuse, if the court finds reasonable grounds to believe that an incident of sexual or physical abuse has occurred, the court may, on its own motion, or the motion of the guardian ad litem or other parties, issue a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction restraining or enjoining the person accused of committing the abuse from:

(a) Molesting or disturbing the peace of the alleged victim;

(b) Entering the family home of the alleged victim except as specifically authorized by the court; or

(d) In the case of a school employee under Title 28A RCW, having contact with children during the course of employment at an approved private school or public school under Title 28A RCW.

(3) In issuing a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, the court may impose any additional restrictions that the court in its discretion determines are necessary to protect the child from further abuse or emotional trauma pending final resolution of the abuse allegations.

(4) The court shall issue a temporary restraining order prohibiting a person from entering the family home if the court finds that the order would eliminate the need for an out-of-home placement to protect the child's right to nurturance, health, and safety and is sufficient to protect the child from further sexual or physical abuse or coercion.

(5) The court may issue a temporary restraining order without requiring notice to the party to be restrained or other parties only if it finds on the basis of the moving affidavit or other evidence that irreparable injury could result if an order is not issued until the time for responding has elapsed.

(6) A temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction:

(a) Does not prejudice the rights of a party or any child which are to be adjudicated at subsequent hearings in the proceeding; and

(b) May be revoked or modified.

(7) The person having physical custody of the child shall have an affirmative duty to assist in the enforcement of the restraining order including but not limited to a duty to notify the court as soon as practicable of any violation of the order, a duty to request the assistance of law enforcement officers to enforce the order, and a duty to notify the department of social and health services of any violation of the order as soon as practicable if the department is a party to the action. Failure by the custodial party to discharge these affirmative duties shall be subject to contempt proceedings.

(8) Willful violation of a court order entered under this section is a misdemeanor. A written order shall contain the court's directive and shall bear the legend: "Violation of this order is a criminal offense under chapter 26.44 RCW and will subject a violator to arrest."

Sec. 3. Section 17, chapter 172, Laws of 1967 as last amended by section 10, chapter 170, Laws of 1987 and by section 69, chapter 505, Laws of 1987 and RCW 74.13.031 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The department shall have the duty to provide child welfare services as defined in RCW 74.13.020, and shall:

(1) Develop, administer, supervise, and monitor a coordinated and comprehensive plan that establishes, aids, and strengthens services for the protection and care of homeless, runaway, dependent, or neglected children.

(2) Develop a recruiting plan for recruiting an adequate number of prospective adoptive and foster homes, both regular and specialized, i.e. homes for children of ethnic minority, including Indian homes for Indian children, sibling groups, handicapped and emotionally disturbed, and annually submit the plan for review to the house and senate committees on social and health services. The plan shall include a section entitled "Foster Home Turn-Over, Causes and Recommendations."

(3) Investigate complaints of neglect, abuse, or abandonment of children, and on the basis of the findings of such investigation, offer child welfare services in relation to the problem to such parents, legal custodians, or persons serving in loco parentis, and/or bring the situation to the attention of an appropriate court, or another community agency((: PROVIDED, That an investigation is not required of nonaccidental injuries which are clearly not the result of a lack of care or supervision by the child's parents, legal custodians, or persons serving in loco parentis)). If the investigation reveals that a crime may have been committed, the department shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency.

(4) Investigate complaints of child abuse, allegedly perpetrated in a school.

(5) Offer, on a voluntary basis, family reconciliation services to families who are in conflict.

((~~(5)~~)) (6) Monitor out-of-home placements, on a timely and routine basis, to assure the safety, well-being, and quality of care being provided is within the scope of the intent of the legislature as defined in RCW 74.13.010 and 74.15.010, and annually submit a report delineating the results to the house and senate committees on social and health services.

((~~(6)~~)) (7) Have authority to accept custody of children from parents and to accept custody of children from juvenile courts, where authorized to do so under law, to provide child welfare services including placement for adoption, and to provide for the physical care of such children and make payment of maintenance costs if needed. Except where required by Public Law 95-608 (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1915), no private adoption agency which receives children for adoption from the department shall discriminate on the basis of race, creed, or color when considering applications in their placement for adoption.

((~~(7)~~)) (8) Have authority to provide temporary shelter to children who have run away from home and who are admitted to crisis residential centers.

((~~(8)~~)) (9) Have authority to purchase care for children; and shall follow in general the policy of using properly approved private agency services for the actual care and supervision of such children insofar as they are available, paying for care of such children as are accepted by the department as eligible for support at reasonable rates established by the department.

((~~(9)~~)) (10) Establish a children's services advisory committee which shall assist the secretary in the development of a partnership plan for utilizing resources of the public and private sectors, and advise on all matters pertaining to child welfare, day care, licensing of child care agencies, and services related thereto. At least one-third of the membership shall be composed of child care providers.

((~~(10)~~)) (11) Have authority to provide continued foster care or group care for individuals from eighteen through twenty years of age to enable them to complete their high school or vocational school program.

((~~(11)~~)) (12) Have authority within funds appropriated for foster care services to purchase care for Indian children who are in the custody of a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribally licensed child-placing agency pursuant to parental consent, tribal court order, or state juvenile court order; and the purchase of such care shall be subject to the same eligibility standards and rates of support applicable to other children for whom the department purchases care.

Notwithstanding any other provision of RCW 13.32A.170 through 13.32A.200 and RCW 74.13.032 through 74.13.036, or of this section all services to be provided by the department of social and health services under subsections ((~~(4), (6)~~)) (5), (7), and ((~~(7)~~)) (8) of this section, subject to the limitations of these subsections, may be provided by any program offering such services funded pursuant to Titles II and III of the federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act of 1974 (P.L. No. 93-415; 42 U.S.C. 5634 et seq.; and 42 U.S.C. 5701 note as amended by P.L. 94-273, 94-503, and 95-115).