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SUBSTITUTE
HOUSE BILL 2487
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Passed
Legislature - 1996 Regular Session
State of Washington 54th
Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/02/96.
Continuing adoption
support payments.
AN ACT
Relating to continuing adoption support payments; amending RCW 74.13.112 and
74.13.115; and adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
74.13.112 and 1985 c 7 s 136 are each amended to read as follows:
The
factors to be considered by the secretary in setting the amount of any payment
or payments to be made pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through
74.13.145 and in adjusting standards hereunder shall include: The size of the
family including the adoptive child, the usual living expenses of the family,
the special needs of any family member including education needs, the family
income, the family resources and plan for savings, the medical and hospitalization
needs of the family, the family's means of purchasing or otherwise receiving
such care, and any other expenses likely to be needed by the child to be
adopted. In setting the amount of any initial payment made pursuant to RCW
26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145, the secretary is authorized to
establish maximum payment amounts that are reasonable and allow permanency
planning goals related to adoption of children under RCW 13.34.145 to be
achieved at the earliest possible date.
The
amounts paid for the support of a child pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100
through 74.13.145 may vary from family to family and from year to year. Due to
changes in economic circumstances or the needs of the child such payments may
be discontinued and later resumed.
Payments
under RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 may be continued by the
secretary subject to review as provided for herein, if such parent or parents
having such child in their custody establish their residence in another state or
a foreign jurisdiction.
In
fixing the standards to govern the amount and character of payments to be made
for the support of adopted children pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100
through 74.13.145 and before issuing rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145, the secretary
shall consider the comments and recommendations of the committee designated by
the secretary to advise him with respect to child welfare.
Sec.
2. RCW
74.13.115 and 1985 c 7 s 137 are each amended to read as follows:
To
carry out the program authorized by RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through
74.13.145, the secretary may make continuing payments or lump sum payments of
adoption support. In lieu of continuing payments, or in addition to them, the
secretary may make one or more specific lump sum payments for or on behalf of a
hard to place child either to the adoptive parents or directly to other persons
to assist in correcting any condition causing such child to be hard to place
for adoption.
Consistent
with a particular child's needs, continuing adoption support payments shall
include, if necessary to facilitate or support the adoption of a special needs
child, an amount sufficient to remove any reasonable financial barrier to
adoption as determined by the secretary under RCW 74.13.112.
After
determination by the secretary of the amount of a payment or the initial amount
of continuing payments, the prospective parent or parents who desire such support
shall sign an agreement with the secretary providing for the payment, in the
manner and at the time or times prescribed in regulations to be issued by ((him))
the secretary subject to the provisions of RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100
through 74.13.145, of the amount or amounts of support so determined.
Payments
shall be subject to review as provided in RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through
74.13.145.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. A new
section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:
This
act applies to adoption support payments for eligible children whose
eligibility is determined on or after July 1, 1996. This act does not apply
retroactively to current recipients of adoption support payments.
