SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5958

   AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 22, 1993

Brief Description:  Modifying financial responsibility for juvenile offenders.

SPONSORS: Senators Rinehart and McDonald; by request of Department of Social and Health Services

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5958 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Spanel, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Cantu, Hochstatter, Jesernig, McDonald, Moyer, Pelz, Quigley, Roach, Snyder, Sutherland, West, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Cindi Holmstrom (786‑7715)

Hearing Dates: March 18, 1993; March 22, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Current law allows juvenile courts to order a parent to pay a share of the cost of support, treatment, and confinement when a youth is adjudicated and sent to a residential program.

Snohomish County is currently the only county requiring parents, based on income, to provide support for youths in residential programs.  Court-ordered support payments typically range up to $300 per month.  

SUMMARY:

All juvenile courts are required to order parents or legally obligated persons to pay for a share of the cost of residential programs, based on the Department of Social and Health Services reimbursement schedule.

The department is expected to establish a uniform policy for collection of fees and will develop a sliding fee reimbursement schedule based on income.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

It is clarified that parental cost sharing be mandatory only for youth sent to the state Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation.  The provisions affecting youth under the jurisdiction of counties would remain permissive.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested March 9, 1993

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill would require that parents participate in the partial cost of residential services based on ability to pay and would save over $3 million next biennium.  Snohomish County has consistently, for well over 20 years, used this process.  The process has worked well for Snohomish County and the proposed bill would make this mandatory for all counties when sending youth to the state Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Terry Wasson, Rita Jefferson, DJR (pro); Margaret Casey, Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators (pro)