HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2084

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to the elimination of the family policy council program, including the community network provisions.

Brief Description:  Eliminating the family policy council, including community network provisions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Silver and Cooke.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  3/21/95, 3/22/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 21 members:  Representatives Silver, Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Huff, Vice Chairman; Pelesky, Vice Chairman; Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Beeksma; Brumsickle; Carlson; Cooke; Crouse; Foreman; Hargrove; Hickel; Lambert; Lisk; McMorris; Reams; Sehlin; Sheahan and Talcott.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Valle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chappell; Dellwo; G. Fisher; Grant; Jacobsen; Poulsen; Rust; Thibaudeau and Wolfe.

Staff:  Beth Redfield (786-7130).

Background:   The Youth Violence Act of 1994 (E2SHB 2319) created the Violence Reduction and Drug Enforcement account in the state treasury.  The act directed that at least 7.5 percent of expenditures from the account be used for grants to community networks created by chapter 70.190 RCW.

The Family Policy Council was created in 1992 to address the needs of children and families not met by the programs of a single department.  The council was given the authority to solicit funding proposals from local consortia and to submit a prioritized list of projects for funding in the Governor's budget.

The Youth Violence Act of 1994 (E2SHB 2319) expanded the authority of the Family Policy Council, created the community public health and safety networks, and set up a process by which communities would be allowed to prioritize and coordinate services to meet their local needs.

The 1994 legislation directed the community networks to review local public health data relating to at-risk children, prioritize the risk factors to address, develop long-term community plans to reduce the number of at-risk children, set measurable goals and outcomes, distribute funds to local programs based on the local plans, and meet outcome-based standards.

The Family Policy Council was charged with determining network boundaries by July 1, 1994; developing a training program to assist communities in creating networks; approving the goals and plans of each network; identifying prevention and early intervention programs and funds that could be transferred to the community networks; rewarding networks that reduce state-funded out-of-home placements; reviewing the implementation of the act and making recommendations to the Legislature; and assisting the Governor in requesting any necessary federal waivers.

The legislation also specified that the Family Policy Council shall only disburse funds to a community network after a comprehensive community plan has been approved by the council.

To assist the community networks in the planning process, the legislation made the networks eligible to receive planning grants and technical assistance beginning January 1, 1995.  Comprehensive community plans are to be submitted within one year of having received a planning grant.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement that 7.5 percent of expenditures from the Violence Reduction and Drug Enforcement account be used for grants to community networks is deleted.

RCW 70.190 is repealed, eliminating the Family Policy Council and community public health and safety networks.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on March 21, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  The community networks are not a bureacracy, they represent community involvement.  The Legislature should not back away from requiring state agencies to cooperate and break down barriers among programs.  Communities know best their own needs.  It is critical that the Legislature get the information from the community network plans, so that services may be more efficiently delivered.

Testified:  Majken Ryherd Keira, Human Services Roundtable; Margaret Casey, Washington State Catholic Conference; and Ann Simons, Washington Women United.