PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Children's Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amending WAC 388-15-009 What is child abuse or neglect?, to meet the requirements from ESSB 5922 (chapter 512, Laws of 2005).
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.13.031, 74.04.050, and chapter 26.44 RCW.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is amending the definition of child abuse or neglect. Changes are needed to meet the definition changes required in ESSB 5922.
Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Leah Stajduhar, Division of Program and Practice Improvement, P.O. Box 45710, Olympia, WA 98504-5710, phone (360) 902-7539, fax (360) 902-7903, e-mail moul300@dshs.wa.gov.
October 17, 2006
Andy Fernando, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit