BILL REQ. #:  S-0451.1 

Read first time 01/10/2007.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to information for students regarding health insurance; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.210 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.210 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning with the 2007-08 school year, as part of a public or private school's enrollment process, the school shall annually inquire whether a student has health insurance. If a student's parent or guardian indicates that a student does not have health insurance coverage or does not indicate whether the student has or does not have health insurance, the school district shall provide the parent or guardian with information about the existence of the medicaid and children's health insurance program and how to get additional information about the programs. The information shall be provided in writing either via postal mail or through electronic mail.
     (2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall work with the department of health in developing a one-page informational sheet that contains the information schools are required to provide to parents under subsection (1) of this section and make that informational sheet available to schools on the superintendent of public instruction's web site by August 2007.
     (3) Beginning in 2008, schools shall report annually to the superintendent of public instruction the number of students that are sent information under subsection (1) of this section.