AN ACT Relating to trauma care; amending RCW 46.20.181; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds and declares that:

(1) Trauma is a severe health problem in the state of Washington and a major cause of death;

(2) Presently, trauma care is very limited in many parts of the state, and rural area health care is in transition with the danger that some communities will be without emergency medical care; and

(3) It is in the best interest of the citizens of Washington state to establish a state-wide trauma care system to reduce costs of inappropriate and inadequate emergency service and minimize the human suffering and costs associated with preventable mortality and morbidity.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is hereby created a steering committee composed of representatives of emergency medical providers such as physicians, nurses, hospital personnel, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and ambulance operators, and local government officials, state officials, and persons affiliated professionally with health science schools. The governor shall appoint members of the steering committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Upon the recommendation of the steering committee, the director of the office of financial management shall contract with an independent party for an analysis of the state's trauma system.

(2) The analysis shall contain at a minimum, the following:

(a) The identification of components of a functional state- wide trauma care system, including standards; and

(b) An assessment of the current trauma care program compared with the functional state-wide model identified in subsection (a) of this section, including an analysis of deficiencies and reasons for the deficiencies.

(3) The analysis shall provide a design for a state-wide trauma care system based on the findings of the committee under subsection (2) of this section, with a plan for phased-in implementation. The plan shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) Responsibility for implementation;

(b) Administrative authority at the state, regional, and local levels;

(d) Triage and care criteria;

(e) Data collection and use;

(f) Cost containment strategies;

(g) System evaluation; and

(h) Projected costs.

(4) The secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of the legislature the results of the identification and assessment phase of the analysis by July 1, 1989, and the design plan by January 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The trauma care system trust account is hereby created in the state treasury. The two dollar surcharge received under RCW 46.20.181(2) shall be deposited in this account. Disbursements shall be made by the office of financial management subject to legislative appropriation.

(2) If a state-wide trauma care system is not established by June 30, 1992, funds in the account shall transfer to the highway safety fund and the account shall terminate.

Sec. 5. Section 17, chapter 121, Laws of 1965 ex. sess. as last amended by section 2, chapter 245, Laws of 1981 and RCW 46.20.181 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Every driver's license shall expire on the fourth anniversary of the licensee's birthdate following the issuance of such license: PROVIDED, That during the period July 1, 1981, through and including June 30, 1983, the department shall implement a system of staggering the renewal periods of currently licensed drivers so as to make approximately one-half of such renewals for a two-year period and the other one-half for a four-year period. Every such license shall be renewable on or before its expiration upon application prescribed by the department and the payment of a fee of fourteen dollars, or of seven dollars in the case of those being renewed for only two years. These fees include the fee for the required photograph.

(2) Until June 30, 1992, there shall be a two dollar surcharge for every driver's license renewal. Moneys from the surcharge shall be deposited in the trauma care system trust account.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, from the general fund to the trauma care system trust account for the analysis required under this act. The general fund shall be reimbursed from the trauma care system trust account as funds become available.