FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1858

PARTIAL VETO

                         C 505 L 93

Brief Description:  Providing for periodic case review for children in substitute care.

By Representatives Brown, Romero, Foreman, Leonard, Lemmon, Mielke, Karahalios, Brough, Long, Kessler, Patterson and Mastin.

House Committee on Human Services

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Background: In designated counties, foster care citizen review boards are charged with reviewing foster child placements.  The boards are required to conduct numerous reviews at various intervals following placement and, based on the reviews, prepare written findings and recommendations.

Summary: The reviews by the Foster Care Citizen Review Board will be limited to the first hearing within 90 days of placement, the second hearing within six months of placement, and the third hearing within one year of placement in foster care.

Permanency planning guidelines are established to ensure Foster Care Citizen Review Board actions follow existing statutory standards.  The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services will develop guidelines to identify all children likely to need long-term care or assistance related to physical, mental, emotional, medical, or other long-term challenges.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98 0

Senate 43 0 (Senate amended)

House  93 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1993

Partial Veto Summary: The governor vetoed language specifying when citizen review boards will conduct reviews of children in foster care.  The vetoed language would have placed the state in violation of federal laws related to the ongoing review of children living in foster care.  (See VETO MESSAGE)