SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6577

As Passed Senate, February 12, 2004

Title: An act relating to reporting requirements for community action agencies.

Brief Description: Ordering a study of reporting requirements for community action agencies.

Sponsors: Senators Hargrove, Schmidt, Poulsen, Esser, Stevens, Berkey, Eide, McAuliffe and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Children & Family Services & Corrections: 2/4/04 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/12/04, 44-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Stevens, Chair; Parlette, Vice Chair; Carlson, Deccio, Hargrove, McAuliffe and Regala.

Staff: Fara Daun (786-7459)

Background: There is concern that uncoordinated and duplicative reporting requirements place extraordinary burdens on community action agencies. In order to relieve the burden, state agencies must coordinate and standardize the data collection and reporting systems used in conjunction with the administration and distribution of contracts to community action agencies.

Summary of Bill: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC), with the cooperation of the affected state agencies, must study the feasibility of establishing common data collection, grant distribution, accountability requirements, and management standards for community action agencies. Affected state agencies include the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, the Department of Social and Health Services, and the Employment Security Department.

JLARC must submit a progress report by September 1, 2004, and a final report by September 1, 2005, to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 31, 2004.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Technology has grown at a faster rate than laws addressing the collection and use of information. One result is that each funding source requires different information or requires it in a different form. The federal government has revised its standards and many of the local forms are out of compliance. Minnesota and Connecticut have already gone to coordinated systems. The administrative burden of addressing many requirements is on the small local agencies and is significant, keeping them from doing what they are there to do. In some cases the current situation keeps people from getting an appropriate referral because the agencies are not able to communicate effectively. Some departments are beginning to talk about coordinated reporting, others are resistant to the idea. JLARC is independent of the affected agencies and can realistically assess the issue.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Senator Jim Hargrove, sponsor (pro); T. Dan Wollam, Olympic Community Action Programs (pro); Judy Allen, Community Action of Whitman County (pro); Bob Swanson, Washington State Association for Community Action (pro); Larry Eyer, Kitsap Community Resources (pro).