HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 2SSB 5258

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                        March 1, 1996

Title:  An act relating to clarifying, technical, and administrative revisions to community public health and safety networks.

Brief Description:  Making technical revisions to community public health and safety networks.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove, Long, Franklin and McAuliffe).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/20/96, 2/23/96 [DPA].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House - Amended:  3/1/96, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Cooke, Chairman; Lambert, Vice Chairman; Stevens, Vice Chairman; Tokuda, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Buck; Boldt; Carrell; Dickerson; Patterson and Sterk.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  In 1994, the Legislature authorized the Family Policy Council to establish a statewide system of community public health and safety networks.  The council has approved the creation and membership of 53 community networks.

The networks are required to develop long-term comprehensive plans to reduce the rates of harmful behaviors and acts occurring within the community.  These behaviors and acts include violence and delinquency, teen pregnancy and male parentage, suicide attempts, dropping out of school, and child abuse and neglect.  Each network is directed to examine the empirical data, collected by the Department of Health for their community, and to use the data to prioritize the communities needs.  A network must submit its comprehensive plans no later than one year after receiving a planning grant from the council.

In the two years since networks were authorized in the Youth Violence Act, suggestions for a number of clarifying, technical, and administrative revisions have been made. 

Summary of Bill:    Definitions of "at-risk," "at-risk behaviors," "fiduciary interest," and other terms related to the operation of networks are provided.  The community public health and safety networks are subject to the public records act.

The network membership is modified to ensure the citizen members live within the network boundary.  The other representatives may either live or work within the network boundary.  Public education representatives are guaranteed membership on the networks.  New procedures are included to assist the networks in filling network membership vacancies. 

Members cannot vote on any expenditures in which their immediate family members may have a fiduciary interest.

The fiscal agent for the network must use approved budgeting, accounting, and reporting systems.  Contracts with the fiscal agent will be approved by the council.  Networks must hold their administrative costs to no more than 10 percent and cannot provide services or operate programs.  Each network is required to file an annual report relating to its expenditures and contracted services and program.

The role of the local health department in examining the network's comprehensive plans is clarified.  The networks holds a public hearing on its plan before it is submitted to the council.  A network may request an extension of the time necessary to submit its comprehensive plan.

In developing the comprehensive plan, the networks must consider increasing youth employment and job training opportunities.  Networks shall also integrate local programs into their plans when they fit the network's priorities and they are deemed successful.

The council may take administrative action against a network that is not in compliance with the statute.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except for section 8 (related to comprehensive plan approval and Family Policy Council authority to suspend or revoke a network's status for noncompliance with statutory requirements), which takes affect immediately.

Testimony For:  Networks are attempting to complete their comprehensive plans to determine how to spend appropriated federal funds.  Extensions to the time limit for submission of comprehensive plans are needed by most networks.  Network members should be provided statutory immunity for civil liability.

Testimony Against:  None presented.

Testified:  (Pro) David Brenna, Family Policy Council; Bob Harbaugh, Seattle Community Public Health and Safety Network; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; and Mark Harden and Art Tackett, Benton and Franklin Community Networks.