AN ACT Relating to excluding holidays and weekends from the time period required for youth shelters to notify parents; and amending RCW 13.32A.082.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 13.32A.082 and 2013 c 4 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, any person, unlicensed youth shelter, or runaway and homeless youth program that, without legal authorization, provides shelter to a minor and that knows at the time of providing the shelter that the minor is away from a lawfully prescribed residence or home without parental permission, shall promptly report the location of the child to the parent, the law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the person lives, or the department.

(b)(i) If a licensed overnight youth shelter, or another licensed organization with a stated mission to provide services to homeless or runaway youth and their families, shelters a child and knows at the time of providing the shelter that the child is away from a lawfully prescribed residence or home without parental permission, it must contact the youth's parent within seventy-two hours, not including weekends and holidays, but preferably within twenty-four hours, following the time that the youth is admitted to the shelter or other licensed organization's program. The notification must include the whereabouts of the youth, a description of the youth's physical and emotional condition, and the circumstances surrounding the youth's contact with the shelter or organization. If there are compelling reasons not to notify the parent, the shelter or organization must instead notify the department.

(ii) At least once every eight hours after learning that a youth receiving services or shelter under this section is away from home without permission, the shelter or organization staff must consult the information that the Washington state patrol makes publicly available under RCW 43.43.510(2). If the youth is publicly listed as missing, the shelter or organization must immediately notify the department of its contact with the youth listed as missing. The notification must include a description of the minor's physical and emotional condition and the circumstances surrounding the youth's contact with the shelter or organization.

(c) Reports required under this section may be made by telephone or any other reasonable means.

(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.

(a) "Shelter" means the person's home or any structure over which the person has any control.

(b) "Promptly report" means to report within eight hours after the person has knowledge that the minor is away from a lawfully prescribed residence or home without parental permission.

(c) "Compelling reasons" include, but are not limited to, circumstances that indicate that notifying the parent or legal guardian will subject the minor to abuse or neglect as defined in RCW 26.44.020.

(3) When the department receives a report under subsection (1) of this section, it shall make a good faith attempt to notify the parent that a report has been received and offer services designed to resolve the conflict and accomplish a reunification of the family.

(4) Nothing in this section prohibits any person, unlicensed youth shelter, or runaway and homeless youth program from immediately reporting the identity and location of any minor who is away from a lawfully prescribed residence or home without parental permission more promptly than required under this section.

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