H-3716.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2471

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Lambert, Veloria, Carrell, Zellinsky, Mulliken and Backlund

Read first time 01/14/98.  Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

Notifying child camp guests of their right to keep in contact with their parents.

    AN ACT Relating to ensuring the safety of young people at children's camps; adding new sections to chapter 43.121 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that young children are often unaware of certain rights available to them while they are in the custody and care of persons other than their parents.

    The legislature further finds that it is in the best interest of children who are away from their parents for an extended period of time for them to be reminded of their rights to take certain actions to contact their parents and protect themselves from potential injury.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.121 RCW to read as follows:

    Children who are under eighteen years of age who are guests at a public or private camp for children for a period exceeding twenty-four hours shall be given oral notice of the following information within twelve hours of their arrival at the camp location:

    (1) Upon request, the camp facility shall ensure a child camp guest that he or she will have immediate access to a telephone for the purposes of contacting his or her parents in the event of an emergency, or in the event the child feels that his or her safety or well-being is  threatened by another person.

    (2) Upon request, the camp facility shall assist the child camp guest in making the telephone call to ensure a contact is made between the child and his or her parents.

    (3) Upon request, the camp facility shall ensure that the conversation between the child camp guest and his or her parents is private or confidential.

    (4) The phone call shall be at the expense of the child or the child's parents.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.121 RCW to read as follows:

    The public or private camp for children shall post written notice of the information required under section 2 of this act in a conspicuous manner in a location where child camp guests congregate.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 43.121 RCW to read as follows:

    Sections 2 and 3 of this act do not apply to a camp or facility used for juvenile offenders.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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