BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to community public health and safety networks; and amending RCW 70.190.060.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 70.190.060 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 303 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislature intends to create community public health and safety networks to reconnect parents and other citizens with children, youth, families, and community institutions which support health and safety. The networks should empower parents and other citizens by being a means of expressing their attitudes, spirit, and perspectives regarding safe and healthy family and community life. The legislature intends that parent and other citizen perspectives exercise a controlling influence over policy and program operations of professional organizations concerned with children and family issues within networks in a manner consistent with the Constitution and state law. It is not the intent of the legislature that health, social service, or educational professionals dominate community public health and safety network processes or programs, but rather that these professionals use their skills to lend support to parents and other citizens in expressing their values as parents and other citizens identify community needs and establish community priorities. To this end, the legislature intends full participation of parents and other citizens in community public health and safety networks. The intent is that local community values are reflected in the operations of the network.

(2) A group of persons described in subsection (3) of this section may apply ((~~by December 1, 1994,~~)) to be a community public health and safety network.

(3) Each community public health and safety network shall be composed of ((~~twenty-three~~)) twenty-four people, thirteen of whom shall be citizens with no direct fiduciary interest in health, education, social service, or justice system organizations operating within the network area. In selecting these members, first priority shall be given to members of community mobilization advisory boards, city or county children's services commissions, human services advisory boards, or other such organizations which may exist within the network. The thirteen persons shall be selected as follows: Three by the chambers of commerce located in the network, three by school board members of the school districts within the network boundary, three by the county legislative authorities of the counties within the network boundary, three by the city legislative authorities of the cities within the network boundary, and one high school student, selected by student organizations within the network boundary. The remaining ((~~ten~~)) eleven members shall include local representation from the following groups and entities: Cities, counties, federally recognized Indian tribes, public schools, parks and recreation programs, law enforcement agencies, superior court judges, state children's service workers from within the network area, employment assistance workers from within the network area, private social, educational, or health service providers from within the network area, and broad-based nonsecular organizations.

(4) A list of the network members shall be submitted to the council by December 1, 1994, by the network chair who shall be selected by network members at their first meeting. The list shall become final unless the council chooses other members within twenty days after the list is submitted. The council shall accept the list unless he or she believes the proposed list does not adequately represent all parties identified in subsection (3) of this section or a member has a conflict of interest between his or her membership and his or her livelihood. Members of the community network shall serve terms of three years.

The terms of the initial members of each network shall be as follows: (a) One-third shall serve for one year; (b) one-third shall serve for two years; and (c) one-third shall serve for three years. Initial members may agree which shall serve fewer than three years or the decision may be made by lot. The same process shall be used in the selection of the chair and members for subsequent terms. Any vacancy occurring during the term may be filled by the chair for the balance of the unexpired term.

(5) The network shall select a public entity as the lead fiscal agency for the network. The lead agency may contract with a public or private entity to perform other administrative duties required by the state. In making the selection, the network shall consider: (a) Experience in administering prevention and intervention programs; (b) the relative geographical size of the network and its members; (c) budgeting and fiscal capacity; and (d) how diverse a population each entity represents.

(6) Network meetings are subject to the open public meetings act under chapter 42.30 RCW.