BILL REQ. #:  H-3929.2 

Read first time 01/13/10.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Children's Services.

     AN ACT Relating to the transfer of the administration of the infant and toddler early intervention program from the department of social and health services to the department of early learning; amending RCW 43.215.020 and 70.198.020; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.215.020 and 2007 c 394 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department of early learning is created as an executive branch agency. The department is vested with all powers and duties transferred to it under this chapter and such other powers and duties as may be authorized by law.
     (2) The primary duties of the department are to implement state early learning policy and to coordinate, consolidate, and integrate child care and early learning programs in order to administer programs and funding as efficiently as possible. The department's duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
     (a) To support both public and private sectors toward a comprehensive and collaborative system of early learning that serves parents, children, and providers and to encourage best practices in child care and early learning programs;
     (b) To make early learning resources available to parents and caregivers;
     (c) To carry out activities, including providing clear and easily accessible information about quality and improving the quality of early learning opportunities for young children, in cooperation with the nongovernmental private-public partnership;
     (d) To administer child care and early learning programs;
     (e) To serve as the state lead agency for Part C of the federal individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA);
     (f) To standardize internal financial audits, oversight visits, performance benchmarks, and licensing criteria, so that programs can function in an integrated fashion;
     (((f))) (g) To support the implementation of the nongovernmental private-public partnership and cooperate with that partnership in pursuing its goals including providing data and support necessary for the successful work of the partnership;
     (((g))) (h) To work cooperatively and in coordination with the early learning council;
     (((h))) (i) To collaborate with the K-12 school system at the state and local levels to ensure appropriate connections and smooth transitions between early learning and K-12 programs; and
     (((i))) (j) Upon the development of an early learning information system, to make available to parents timely inspection and licensing action information through the internet and other means.
     (3) The department's programs shall be designed in a way that respects and preserves the ability of parents and legal guardians to direct the education, development, and upbringing of their children. The department shall include parents and legal guardians in the development of policies and program decisions affecting their children.

Sec. 2   RCW 70.198.020 and 2009 c 381 s 33 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is established an advisory council in the department of social and health services for the purpose of advancing the development of a comprehensive and effective statewide system to provide prompt and effective early interventions for children in the state who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.
     (2) Members of the advisory council shall have training, experience, or interest in hearing loss in children. Membership shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Pediatricians; audiologists; teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing; parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing; a representative from the Washington state center for childhood deafness and hearing loss; and representatives of the ((infant toddler early intervention)) birth-to-three program in the department of ((social and health services)) early learning, the department of health, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) All powers, duties, and functions of the department of social and health services pertaining to administration of the infant and toddler early intervention program are transferred to the department of early learning. The program shall be renamed the birth-to-three program.
     (2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the department of early learning. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the department of social and health services in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the department of early learning. All funds, credits, or other assets held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the department of early learning.
     (b) Any appropriations made to the department of social and health services for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on the effective date of this section, be transferred and credited to the department of early learning.
     (c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.
     (3) All employees of the department of social and health services engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred are transferred to the jurisdiction of the department of early learning. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the department of early learning to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service.
     (4) All rules and all pending business before the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the department of early learning. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the department of early learning.
     (5) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the department of social and health services shall not affect the validity of any act performed before the effective date of this section.
     (6) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.
     (7) All classified employees of the department of social and health services assigned to the department of early learning under this section whose positions are within an existing bargaining unit description at the department of early learning shall become a part of the existing bargaining unit at the department of early learning and shall be considered an appropriate inclusion or modification of the existing bargaining unit under the provisions of chapter 41.80 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act takes effect July 1, 2010.