S-3880.1

SENATE BILL 6226

BySenators Trudeau, Kuderer, Lovick, Nguyen, and Nobles

AN ACT Relating to creating reporting requirements for the department of social and health service's office of fraud and accountability; and adding a new section to chapter 74.04 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature recognizes that disruption of systemic poverty requires data-informed policies and practices. The legislature further recognizes the importance of appropriate fiscal stewardship of public programs and resources. The legislature declares that policies regarding waste, fraud, and abuse should be rooted in evidence and should be administered in ways that promote racial equity. The legislature intends to create data reporting requirements regarding public service financial accountability to increase transparency within programs.

(2) To increase accountability and transparency, the office shall submit a report to the legislature by December 1, 2024, and biannually thereafter, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, that shall include at a minimum the following information:

(a) Racially disaggregated data on who is being investigated, compared with their percentage of the population on benefits;

(b) Financial data regarding expenditures on investigations, recovered funds, and impacts to programs and caseload;

(c) Findings regarding internal patterns of referrals which may be contributing to disparities; and

(d) Any other information deemed relevant by the department, including potential recommendations to address disparities in program policy and practice.

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