CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

             ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5995

                    Chapter 52, Laws of 2001

                        57th Legislature

                      2001 Regular Session

DEPENDENT CHILDREN--INFORMATION SHARING

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/22/01

Passed by the Senate March 13, 2001   YEAS 48   NAYS 0              ROSA FRANKLIN President of the Senate Passed by the House April 4, 2001   YEAS 92   NAYS 0

CERTIFICATE I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5995 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

FRANK CHOPP Speaker of the       House of Representatives	TONY M. COOK                             Secretary
CLYDE BALLARD Speaker of the       House of Representatives

Approved April 17, 2001 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                      April 17, 2001 - 9:16 a.m.

GARY LOCKE Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                  State of Washington

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               ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5995

          _______________________________________________

             Passed Legislature - 2001 Regular Session

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Long, Hargrove and Stevens)

READ FIRST TIME 02/26/01.

Providing for information sharing among the courts, providers, divisions, and agencies serving dependent children and their families.     

    AN ACT Relating to information sharing among the courts, providers, divisions, and agencies serving dependent children and their families; adding a new section to chapter 13.34 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 26.44 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Recent analysis of the child dependency system following the death of Zy'Nyia Nobles indicated poor communication of relevant information from the courts, to the department, within programs between caseworkers, between divisions, among specialists, caregivers, and family.  Appropriate service delivery necessitates communication of relevant information.  Barriers to appropriate communication must be eliminated.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 13.34 RCW to read as follows:

    In order to facilitate communication of information needed to serve the best interest of any child who is the subject of a dependency case filed under this chapter, the department of social and health services shall, consistent with state and federal law governing the release of confidential information, establish guidelines, and shall use those guidelines for the facilitation of communication of relevant information among divisions, providers, the courts, the family, caregivers, caseworkers, and others.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 26.44 RCW to read as follows:

    A law enforcement agency in the course of investigating:  (1) An allegation under RCW 69.50.401(a) relating to manufacture of methamphetamine; or (2) an allegation under RCW 69.50.440 relating to possession of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, that discovers a child present at the site, shall contact the department immediately.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Nothing in this act shall be construed to create a private right of action or claim against the department of social and health services on the part of any individual or organization.

    Passed the Senate March 13, 2001.

    Passed the House April 4, 2001.

Approved by the Governor April 17, 2001.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 17, 2001.