WSR 99-01-166
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Children's Administration)
[Filed December 23, 1998, 10:43 a.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Rules to govern departmental Indian child welfare (ICW) activities under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. 1901, et seq.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.08.090.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The rules are proposed to implement the federal Indian Child Welfare Act and the Washington tribal/state agreement, which supplements the act and to ensure that department Children's Administration policies and procedures are consistent with the requirements of the act and the agreement.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, is involved with providing resources and assistance to tribes. The department will provide proposed rules for review and comment.
Process for Developing New Rule: The Children's Administration, with the assistance of the Attorney General's Office, convened a work group consisting of department staff, Assistant Attorneys General, and representatives of Washington state Indian tribes and nonreservation Indian organizations to draft ICW rules. These draft rules will be distributed generally for review and comment.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Art Cantrall, Children's Administration, Division of Program and Policy Development, P.O. Box 45710, Olympia, WA 98504-5710, phone (360) 902-7956, fax (360) 902-7904, e-mail CANA300@dshs.wa.gov. Interested parties may provide recommendations for inclusion in the proposed rule in writing, by electronic mail, or by telephone. They may participate in and offer testimony in public hearings.
December 18, 1998
Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit