BILL REQ. #: H-3810.3
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2010 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/13/10. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Children's Services.
AN ACT Relating to the safety of runaway youth; amending RCW 13.32A.082; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that youth services
provide safety to youth on the streets and are a critical pathway to
ensuring the youth's return home. Runaway youth are without
protection, live under the threat of violence, and fall victim to
predators who exploit their vulnerability. The policy of this state is
to provide assistance to youth in crisis and to protect and preserve
families. In order to effectively serve youth on the streets and
promote their safe return home, shelters must have the time to
establish and maintain an environment that facilitates open
communication and trust.
Sec. 2 RCW 13.32A.082 and 2000 c 123 s 10 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, any person
who, without legal authorization, provides shelter to a minor and who
knows at the time of providing the shelter that the minor is away from
the parent's home without the permission of the parent, or other
lawfully prescribed residence, shall promptly report the location of
the child to the parent, the law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction
in which the person lives, or the department. ((The report))
(b) If a licensed overnight youth shelter, or an organization whose
stated mission is to provide services to homeless or runaway youth and
their families, provides shelter to a minor and knows at the time of
providing the shelter that the minor is away from a lawfully prescribed
residence or home without parental permission, it shall contact the
parent of the minor within seventy-two hours. The notification should
include a description of the minor's physical and emotional condition
and the circumstances surrounding the minor's contact with the shelter
or organization. If there are compelling reasons not to notify the
parent, the shelter or organization shall instead notify the
department.
(c) Reports required under this section may be made by telephone or
any other reasonable means.
(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions
in this subsection apply throughout this section.
(a) "Shelter" means the person's home or any structure over which
the person has any control.
(b) "Promptly report" means to report within eight hours after the
person has knowledge that the minor is away from a lawfully prescribed
residence or home without parental permission.
(c) "Compelling reasons" include, but are not limited to,
circumstances that indicate that notifying the parent or legal guardian
will subject the child to abuse or neglect as defined in chapter 26.44
RCW.
(3) When the department receives a report under subsection (1) of
this section, it shall make a good faith attempt to notify the parent
that a report has been received and offer services designed to resolve
the conflict and accomplish a reunification of the family.
(4) Nothing in this section prohibits any person from immediately
reporting the identity and location of any minor who is away from a
lawfully prescribed residence or home without parental permission more
promptly than required under this section.