SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6284
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Health Care, January 30, 2014
Title: An act relating to expenditures from the public health supplemental account.
Brief Description: Regarding expenditures from the public health supplemental account.
Sponsors: Senators Hill and Frockt; by request of Department of Health.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health Care: 1/28/14, 1/30/14 [DP].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE |
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Becker, Chair; Dammeier, Vice Chair; Pedersen, Ranking Member; Angel, Bailey, Cleveland, Keiser and Parlette.
Staff: Mich'l Needham (786-7442)
Background: The public health supplemental account was established in 2001 at the request of the Department of Health (Department), to allow the Department to solicit funds from public and private sources, such as foundation funding, and track those funds separately. Language was added that prevented the account to be used to pay for or add permanent full-time equivalent staff.
The Department has been successful in receiving funding, with the Susan G. Komen Foundation as the largest contributor. The language limiting the ability to pay for full-time permanent staff lead the Department to hire part-time staff to administer activities related to the funds. This lead to inefficiencies and hiring difficulties, and has not allowed existing full-time staff expertise to be applied to certain programs.
Summary of Bill: Expenditures from the public health supplemental account may also include funding for staff.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The account was established in 2001 as a dedicated account for grant funds, donations, and other funds. The Komen foundation contributes over 80 percent of the funding for the biennium, and 94 percent of the funding is passed through with a small portion used for contract administration. The account can only be spent if its appropriated by the Legislature. Removing the language will be efficient and it will allow us to use a small portion of the existing staff that knows the contract to administer it. The three Komen affiliates in Washington support this change and believe it will be appropriate to use existing staff to support the contracts. The total of the grant will stay within the cap of the contract award. The online grant tools take much more time to manage now for Komen and grant recipients and it is appropriate for Komen to pay for that administrative load.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Kristin Bettridge, WA State Dept. of Health; Elisa Del Rosario, Komen Puget Sound.