S-1795.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5521

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl and Quigley; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)

Read first time 02/17/95.

Modifying availability of child care subsidy programs.

     AN ACT Relating to child care administration; and adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

     The legislature finds that child care services and systems need to be redesigned to enhance local community decision making, improve coordination among child care and early childhood programs, and increase flexibility toward improved quality assurance and responsiveness to families.  It is the intent of this section to move toward local administration of child care subsidy programs.  This transfer of responsibilities from state to local level must be done with care to avoid adversely affecting consumers, programs, and newly developing networks.  Successful transfer will be contingent upon a partnership between the state and individual local communities, readiness and agreement in the community that transfer is desired, and a commitment by a local community to maintain or improve child care services.  The department of social and health services shall have the authority through purchase of services to make department child care subsidy programs available for administration through local community entities in coordination with networks operating under chapter 70.190 RCW.  The department, in consultation with the family policy council, shall convene a design committee comprised of representatives from local government, community networks, the child care coordinating committee, low-income parents, and other affected groups to advise the department and provide recommendations regarding the transition process and guidelines for locally administered child care subsidy programs.  By July 1, 1996, up to six local communities shall be chosen to locally administer child care subsidy programs.

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