Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Early Learning & Human Services Committee |
HB 2061
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. |
Brief Description: Excluding holidays and weekends from the time period required for youth shelters to notify parents.
Sponsors: Representatives Sells, Caldier and Ormsby.
Brief Summary of Bill |
|
Hearing Date: 2/15/17
Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).
Background:
Any person, unlicensed youth shelter, or runaway and homeless youth program that provides shelter to a minor without legal authorization and knows that the minor is away from a lawfully prescribed residence without parental permission must promptly report the location of the child to the parent, law enforcement, or the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). If a licensed overnight youth shelter, or other licensed homeless family organization shelters a child and knows that the child is away from a lawfully prescribed residence without parental permission, it must contact the youth's parent within 72 hours, but preferably within 24 hours.
At least every 8 hours after learning that a youth receiving shelter services is away from home without permission, the shelter must consult the Washington State Patrol runaway child database. If the child is listed as a runaway on that database, the shelter must immediately notify the DSHS of its contact with the youth.
It is a gross misdemeanor offense to unlawfully harbor a minor when a person providers shelter to a minor without the consent of a parent after the person knows that the minor is away from the home of the parent without the parents permission and intentionally: (1) fails to release the minor to law enforcement after that request; (2) fails to disclose the location of the minor after that request; (3) obstructs a law enforcement officer from taking the minor into custody; or (4) assists the minor in avoiding or attempting to avoid the custody of law enforcement.
Summary of Bill:
Weekends and holidays are excluded from the 72-hour period by which youth shelters are required to notify parents that a youth is away from home without parental permission.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.