SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5367
As Passed Senate, March 9, 2001
Title: An act relating to removal of competitive grant requirements for community mobilization.
Brief Description: Changing competitive grant requirements for community mobilization programs.
Sponsors: Senators Fraser, Long, Patterson, Costa, Regala and Jacobsen; by request of Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 2/9/01, 2/16/01 [DP].
Passed Senate: 3/9/01, 48-0.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Kohl‑Welles, Long and Stevens.
Staff: Robert Antanaitis (786-7452)
Background: In 1989, the Legislature created a grant program within the Governor's Office to fund community mobilization efforts designed to reduce the incidence of substance abuse. Currently, at least 50 percent of the funding available under this program must be awarded on a competitive basis. In this process, eligible applications are assessed and compared by a peer review committee which advises the Governor. The Governor then distributes the competitive grants based on this information.
Summary of Bill: The purpose of the grant program is broadened to include reducing incidences of alcohol abuse, tobacco abuse, other drug abuse, and violence.
The program is moved from the Governor's Office to the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.
The competitive funding requirements are eliminated. All grant funds are distributed through a formula developed by the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development that takes county population size into consideration.
The requirement that applicants identify a fiscal agent has been replaced with one requiring communities to identify a contracting agent.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: The current competitive grant requirements are a hindrance to many community mobilization efforts. Counties that do not have the funding to hire grant writers end up receiving less money than those able to fund grant writers. Also, there is no long‑term stability for programs because the amount of funding varies over time. Eliminating the competitive grant requirements will make grant distribution more efficient and effective. It will ensure that funding is distributed to all counties who request it, and it will promote collaboration among communities who are no longer competing against each other for funding.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Seth Dawson, Washington State Association for the Prevention of Substance Abuse and Violence (pro); Julianna Miljour, Mason County Drug Abuse Prevention (pro).