AN ACT Relating to creating a purple card alert system; and adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW.

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

(2) The legislature finds that more than one hundred thousand, or about two percent, of Washington residents exhibit symptoms of dementia.

(3) The legislature further finds that it is important that families and individuals caring for individuals with dementia be able to function in the community while caring for an individual with dementia.

(4) The legislature further finds that first responders, government officials, those in the business community, and others in the community benefit from knowing when they are interacting with a person with dementia and benefit from information and recommendations on ways to interact with people with dementia.

(5) The legislature intends to create a public information system to help first responders, businesses, government officials, and others in the community that an individual they are interacting with has dementia and asking the individual receiving the purple card for understanding, acceptance, and accommodation of the person with dementia.

(6) This public notification system will consist of a purple-colored card measuring approximately two inches by three and one-half inches with information indicating that the companion of the person giving the card has dementia and memory loss issues and asking the receiver of the card to be understanding and accommodating to the person with dementia and his or her caregiver.

(1) "Advisory group" means the advisory group established by section 3(2) of this act.

(2) "Caregiver" means a person who is not suffering from dementia who is assisting a person with dementia.

(3) "Dementia" means a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.

(4) "Department" means the department of social and health services.

(5) "First responders" means police officers and firefighters.

(6) "Purple card" means a purple-colored card designed by the department in accordance with this chapter that measures approximately two inches by three and one-half inches with information indicating that the companion of the person giving the card has dementia.

(2) By June 1, 2016, the department shall establish an advisory group of not more than five individuals who care for a person with dementia and take the person with dementia into the community, two individuals representing organizations who represent people who care for people with dementia or advocate for people with dementia, one representative from the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, one representative from the Washington state law enforcement association, one representative from the Washington state association of fire chiefs, one representative from the association of Washington cities, one representative from the Washington association of counties, not more than six individuals representing organizations representing business interests, and additional members as the department shall deem appropriate. The members of the advisory group shall serve without compensation. By September 1, 2016, the department, with input from the advisory group, shall develop a purple-colored card designed by the department in accordance with this chapter that measures approximately two inches by three and one-half inches with information indicating that the companion of the person giving the card has dementia and memory loss issues and asking the receiver of the card to be understanding and accommodating to the person with dementia.

(3) By January 1, 2017, the department shall create and begin to implement a public information plan to alert first responders, government officials, businesses, and others in the community of the purple card alert system to advise individuals of their potential interaction with a person with dementia and recommend ways to accommodate and assist the person with dementia.

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