SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 2495

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Education, February 22, 1996

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:  2/22/96 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Finkbeiner, Hochstatter, Johnson, Pelz and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

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.  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 (DSHS) 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:  School districts must provide educational services to juvenile offender basic training camps either operated by DSHS or under contract with DSHS.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This legislation will permit the school district to receive funding at the institutional education rate if the department contracts with a private provider to operate a boot camp.  Since the offenders would be at a juvenile institution if they were not at the boot camp, this does not increase costs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  David Griffith, DSHS/JRA.