BILL REQ. #:  H-4623.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to community-based and faith-based social services organizations; and adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary shall designate a person within each of the department's administrative regions to serve as a liaison for community-based and faith-based social services organizations. The liaison shall be available to such organizations for the purpose of:
     (a) Providing information as it relates to opportunities for such organizations to cooperate with the department in providing community services throughout the state;
     (b) Identifying areas of need that are not currently being met in the state that community-based and faith-based social services organizations may provide;
     (c) Coordinating efforts to promote involvement of community-based and faith-based social service organizations in providing community services.
     (2) The secretary shall include provisions in its contracts indicating that community-based and faith-based social services organizations that receive funds from the department must not:
     (a) Engage in discrimination that denies service to a potential client on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, religion, or presence of a disability; or
     (b) Engage in activities that promote conversion to a particular faith, institution, or cause, unless participation in those activities is voluntary.
     (3) The department shall achieve the purposes of this section through existing resources.