Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: Implement section 3 of the Accessible Communities Act, enacted as chapter 215, Laws of 2010 (RCW 50.40.073). Rules are necessary to establish the criteria and procedures applicable to the following: Submission and review of assurances by counties establishing accessible community advisory committees; reimbursement of travel and per diem expenses incurred by accessible community advisory committee members; solicitation, selection, oversight and evaluation of grants for locally initiated projects to improve awareness, inclusion and access for people with disabilities.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending chapter 192-50 WAC.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 50.40.073.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 12-18-060 on August 30, 2012.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 3, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 3, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: November 28, 2012.

Paul Trause

Commissioner

OTS-5004.1

     (a) Submittal by the county legislative authority or an agent or officer acting under that authority;

     (b) For a voting access advisory committee expansion, signature of the county auditor, or proof of approval by the county auditor;

     (c) Description of how the county will ensure that the membership of the committee includes individuals with a diverse range of disabilities, and who are knowledgable in identifying and eliminating attitudinal, programmatic, communication, and physical barriers encountered by persons with disabilities;

     (d) Description of how the county will ensure that the committee is actively involved in the following activities: Advising on addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in emergency plans; advising the county and other local governments within the county on access to programs, services, and activities, new construction or renovation projects, sidewalks, other pedestrian routes of travel, and disability parking enforcement; and developing local initiatives and activities to promote greater awareness of disability issues, and acceptance, and involvement, and access for persons with disabilities within the community; and

     (e) If the committee will serve more than one county, proof of approval by the authorities for each participating county and a recent population count for each participating county including the source of the data. Counties may form joint accessible community advisory committees, as long as no more than one of the participating counties has a population greater than seventy thousand.

     (2) The letter of assurance must be renewed at two-year intervals.

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     Reviser's note: The spelling error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.
NEW SECTION
WAC 192-50-020   What are the criteria for an accessible community advisory committee to be reimbursed for travel, per diem and accommodation expenses for committee members?   (1) For travel, per diem, and accommodation expenses to be eligible for reimbursement from this fund, the accessible community advisory committee meeting or sponsored activity must be approved in advance by the governor's committee on disability issues and employment. A form will be available on the accessible communities web site for this purpose, and will require an estimate of the projected travel, per diem, and accommodation expenses for that advisory committee meeting or sponsored activity. Prior approval of an accessible community advisory committee meeting or sponsored activity as eligible for reimbursement of travel, per diem, and accommodation expenses for the participation of committee members will be based on the following:

     (a) Availability of funds;

     (b) Active committee status;

     (c) Elimination of the more significant travel, communication, or physical barriers to participation by people with disabilities in committee meetings or committee sponsored activities; and

     (d) Support of opportunities for diverse participation on accessible community advisory committees.

     (2) Travel and per diem for preapproved meetings and activities will be reimbursed following receipt, review, and approval of completed travel vouchers. The reimbursement will be at the same rates as those adopted for state employees by the office of financial management.

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     (2) The grant opportunities will be based on emerging issues and opportunities within the state. All evaluation and selection criteria will be included in the opportunity notification. Grant proposals will be required to include a plan for tracking, reporting and evaluating outcomes.

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