S-0825

AN ACT Relating to specialized transportation for elderly and handicapped persons; adding a new chapter to Title 47 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that many elderly and handicapped persons are unable to take advantage of the social service opportunities made available for them. The legislature further finds that the lack of adequate transportation to the social service network is a major reason for not using state and local provided services.

It is the intent of the legislature to provide cost-effective, efficient transportation services that reduce fragmentation and duplication of services in order to delay or preclude the placement of individuals in institutional facilities, to improve the quality of life of elderly and handicapped citizens, to provide opportunity for schooling and employment training programs for the handicapped, and to reinforce the coordination of transportation resources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Specialized transportation services" means providing transportation for elderly and handicapped persons to enhance the utilization of state and local government services.

(2) "Coordinated specialized transportation grantee" means an entity providing, or arranging for, transportation services to elderly and handicapped persons in a manner that is cost-effective and efficient and that reduces fragmentation and duplication of services.

(3) "Elderly" means a person sixty years of age or older.

(4) "Handicapped" means a person who, by reason of illness, injury, age, congenital malfunction, or other permanent or temporary incapacity or disability, or other disadvantage, is unable without special facilities and services or special planning or design to use mass transportation facilities as efficiently as persons who are not so affected. Handicapped people include (a) ambulatory persons whose capacities are hindered by sensory disabilities such as blindness or deafness, mental disabilities such as mental retardation or emotional illness, physical disability which still permits the person to walk comfortably, or a combination of these disabilities; (b) semiambulatory persons who require special aids to travel such as canes, crutches, walkers, respirators, or human assistance; (c) nonambulatory persons who must use wheelchairs or wheelchair-like equipment to travel; and

(d) Persons who, because of economic or language-related barriers, require specialized services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The secretary shall adopt rules for qualifying specialized transportation services and distributing money from the specialized transportation services fund under section 5 of this act to the coordinated specialized transportation grantees as required under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The secretary will distribute money to coordinated specialized transportation grantees to arrange and coordinate specialized transportation services. The secretary will employ a selection process that includes a detailed grant application and a showing of actual need.

(2) The secretary will distribute money to the counties according to the following formula:

(a) No more than fifty percent divided equally among all counties;

(b) No more than twenty percent based upon the number of elderly residents per county as a percentage of the state's elderly population;

(c) No more than twenty percent based upon the number of handicapped residents per county as a percentage of the state's handicapped population; and

(d) No more than ten percent based upon a population density factor that recognizes the higher transportation costs in sparsely populated counties.

(3) The secretary is authorized to adopt rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The specialized transportation services fund is created in the custody of the state treasurer to be funded by legislative appropriation. Expenditures from the fund may be used only for operations costs of specialized transportation services for elderly and handicapped persons. Only the secretary of transportation or the secretary's designee may authorize expenditures from the fund. The fund is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 47 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The sum of ten million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the specialized transportation services fund under section 5 of this act for the purposes of this act.