BILL REQ. #: H-4098.1
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/11/14.
AN ACT Relating to identifying characteristics of the homeless youth population; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The Washington state legislature finds that
very little information is known about young children who are homeless.
Further, the legislature finds that information about young children
who are homeless is necessary to make policy decisions pertaining to
early learning, health care, and other social services. For these
reasons, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the
homeless youth population.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The Washington state institute for public
policy shall conduct an analysis to identify characteristics of the
homeless youth population from birth to age ten. To do so, the
Washington state institute for public policy shall consult with
applicable governmental and nongovernmental organizations to identify
homeless youth and services that they receive, including, but not
limited to, data from the homeless client management information
system, automated client eligibility system, and any other applicable
state and local government sources. The Washington state institute for
public policy shall further pursue information gathering techniques
with organizations that provide services to homeless youth and their
families to identify barriers to accessing services, whether the
services available meet the need of the homeless population, and
whether there are services needed by this population that are not
available. To the extent possible using these methods, the Washington
state institute for public policy will further identify the number of
homeless youth in Washington state from birth to ten years old and the
average length of homelessness for this population. The Washington
state institute for public policy shall submit a report based on this
analysis to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December
1, 2014.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act expires July 1, 2015.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2014, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.