Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Capital Budget Committee

SSB 6483

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Hill, Hobbs, Becker, Hargrove, Bailey, Miloscia, Benton, Braun, Parlette, Angel, Dammeier, Warnick, Litzow, Padden, Rivers, Brown, Dansel, King, Sheldon, Fain and Darneille).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Directs half of the sale proceeds, any lease revenue, and any timber sale revenue of a Residential Habilitation Center, owned by the Department of Social and Health Services, into the Developmental Disabilities Community Trust Account.

Background:

The Division of Developmental Disabilities, within the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), operates four residential habilitation centers (RHCs) for qualified developmentally disabled citizens. The RHCs provide 24-hour residential housing for individuals needing institutional care. In addition, RHCs provide respite care and other specialized services to eligible individuals living in the community. The RHCs in operation are: Fircrest School, located in Shoreline; Lakeland Village, located in Medical Lake; Rainier School, located in Buckley; and Yakima Valley School, located in Selah. Frances Haddon Morgan Center, located in Bremerton, was closed as a Residential Habilitation Center in 2012 and operates as a field office for DSHS.The Developmental Disabilities Community Trust Account (Account), known as the Dan Thompson Memorial Trust Account, was established in 2005. The Account is to receive all proceeds from the use of excess property identified in the 2002 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee capital study at Rainier School and Lakeland Village. Income may come from the lease of land, conservation easements, sale of timber, or other activities short of the sale of property. The disposal of excess property cannot impact current residential habilitation center operations.

Summary of Bill:

Instead of revenue coming from excess property, funds that are deposited into the Account must include 50 percent of sale proceeds of a RHC and any revenue from land leases, timber sales, and conservation easements on RHCs owned or previously operated by the DSHS. Reference to the 2002 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is removed and the definition of excess property is removed.