HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2495

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to educational program for juveniles in detention facilities.

Brief Description:  Revising educational program for juveniles in detention facilities.

Sponsors:  Representatives Brumsickle and Cole; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  1/26/96, 2/1/96 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/8/96, 96-0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Fuhrman; Hatfield; Linville; McMahan; Pelesky; Poulsen; Quall; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas; Thompson and Veloria.

Staff:  Cheri Keller (786-7093).

Background:  The Department of Social and Health Services staffs and maintains a series of residential schools within the state for the education and treatment of juvenile offenders on probation or parole.  A school district that has such a residential school in its district must conduct a program of education for residents of the facility that are of common school age.

In 1994, the Legislature passed a law requiring the Department of Social and Health Services to establish and operate, or contract to operate, a juvenile offender basic training camp.  The department is currently evaluating sites for such a camp.

Summary of Bill:  A school district that has in its district a juvenile offender basic training camp established and operated by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), or operated by another agency through a contract with DSHS, must conduct a program of education for residents of the facility that are of common school age.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This would allow school districts that provide educational programs for common school age persons in boot camps to access the excess cost formula that other residential schools receive.  If these students didn't enter a boot camp, they would be in another residential school operated by the Department of Social and Health Services, all of which receive the excess cost formula.   

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Pat Hanson, Department of Social and Health Services.