H-0848.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1446

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Johnson, Mason, Dyer, Tokuda, Crouse, Sterk, Talcott, Cairnes, DeBolt, Backlund, L. Thomas, Huff, Cooke, Radcliff, Buck, Ballasiotes, Schoesler, Blalock, Dickerson, Appelwick, O'Brien, Keiser, Morris, Kastama, Linville, Sheldon, Mielke, Smith, McMorris, Wolfe, Wood, Scott, Cole, Mulliken, Quall, Gombosky, D. Sommers, Ogden, Doumit, Murray and Costa

Read first time 01/27/97.  Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

Making appropriations to assist retired dentists to provide dental services to children in rural and underserved communities.

    AN ACT Relating to making appropriations to assist retired dentists to provide dental services to children in rural and underserved communities; creating a new section; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature recognizes that establishing good oral health care habits in a child is important in maintaining the overall health of the child.  The legislature also recognizes that economically disadvantaged parents face challenges that can be daunting in securing adequate dental care services for their children in rural and underserved communities.  As these communities struggle to meet the dental care needs of economically disadvantaged families, the legislature finds there exists a valuable resource for the provision of dental care services through retired dentists.  However, many retired dentists who are willing to devote their skills and energies to improving and maintaining the dental health of economically disadvantaged children also face economic barriers to performing their valuable services.

    It is the intent of the legislature to improve access to dental care services to economically disadvantaged children and families by providing resources to overcome many of the barriers that inhibit retired dentists from devoting their services to the improvement of children's dental health.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The sum of one hundred thousand dollars from the general fund‑-state is appropriated for fiscal year 1998 to the department of health solely for the purpose of the volunteer retired provider program.  Funds must be used solely to increase participation by retired dentists and for the payment of malpractice insurance and professional licensing fees for retired dentists participating in the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of one hundred thousand dollars from the general fund‑-state is appropriated for fiscal year 1999 to the department of health solely for the purpose of the volunteer retired provider program.  Funds must be used solely to increase participation by retired dentists and for the payment of malpractice insurance and professional licensing fees for retired dentists participating in the program.

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