SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5481

                    As of January 24, 1995

Title:  An act relating to community public health and safety networks.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for community public health and safety networks.

Sponsors:  Senators Hargrove, Long, Snyder and Winsley; by request of Governor Lowry and Attorney General.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  1/26/95.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Staff:  Richard Rodger (786-7461)

Background:  In 1994, the Legislature authorized the Family Policy Council (council) to establish a statewide system of community public health and safety networks.  The council approved the creation of 53 community networks and is currently in the process of approving the memberships. 

The networks are designed to assist communities in developing long-term comprehensive plans to reduce the rates of harmful behaviors and acts occurring within the community.  Each network is directed to examine the empirical data, collected by the Department of Health for their community, and to use the data in prioritizing the communities needs.

The Governor's Council on Families, Youth and Justice reviewed the implementation of the community networks during the past interim, and has made recommendations to clarify the networks' legal status, scope of responsibilities, and their legal and fiscal accountability.

Summary of Bill:  The networks must ensure administrative costs are kept at a minimum when providing or coordinating services for children and families.  New definitions are provided for "community public health and safety networks,"  "beneficial interest," and "financial interest."  Networks are declared to be "regional public entities."

The citizen members of the networks may not have a beneficial or financial interest in organizations that provide services with or through the network.

The council has 60 days to approve a community network's membership or the membership becomes final.  The conflict of interest provision for the members is replaced with a prohibition on having a beneficial or financial interest.  The council is required to develop a process for the approval of new members.

The networks are required to indicate what efforts are made to recruit broad representation from the community.

Language regarding selection of a fiscal agent is eliminated, and provisions requiring the network to contract with specified entities to perform fiscal, accounting, contract administration, legal, and other administrative functions are added.  The entities are limited to a school district, educational service district, city, county, tribe, or state agency.

The council must approve the networks' contracts to ensure administrative costs are kept to a minimum.  The council may limit the networks' administrative and planning costs.

Accounting, reporting, examination, and audit requirements are imposed.  The State Auditor and the Department of Social and Health Services may conduct examinations and audit.  Mileage expenses are provided only for the network members.  Networks shall not provide or operate programs or services directly.  Categorization of funding is allowed.

Annual fiscal and progress reports must be filed with the council.  Networks may apply for month-to-month extensions for the submission of their comprehensive plan, not to exceed a period of one year.

The council may take administrative action, including  revocation of a network's status, for noncompliance with statutory provisions.  The networks' capacity to undertake program administration through the state agencies' interagency agreement is eliminated.

Each network must hold a public hearing on its comprehensive plan and submit the comments to the council.  Changes to the violence reduction and drug enforcement account are made.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 23, 1995.

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