H-3565.3  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2606

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives O'Brien, Radcliff, Ballasiotes, Benson, Lambert, Cooke, Keiser, Lantz, Hatfield, Delvin, DeBolt, D. Sommers, Sheahan, Mulliken, Hankins, Fisher, Backlund, Mitchell, B. Thomas, Thompson, McCune and Kessler

Read first time 01/16/98.  Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

Prohibiting certain persons with criminal backgrounds from becoming foster parents.

    AN ACT Relating to foster parents; 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:

    (1) A person is not eligible to become a foster parent if he or she has a criminal record indicating a felony offense committed within the past ten years from the date he or she applies to become a foster parent, or five or more misdemeanor offenses committed within the past three years from the date he or she applies to become a foster parent.

    (2) An individual is permanently barred from becoming a foster parent if he or she has a criminal record indicating that the person has committed an offense involving the following crimes:

    (a) A sex offense set out under chapter 9A.44 RCW;

    (b) Any offense involving a controlled substance set out under chapter 69.50 RCW; or

    (c) Any offense where one of the elements of the crime is violent behavior toward a child or vulnerable adult.

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