AN ACT Relating to child care development and services; adding new sections to chapter 74.13 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; making appropriations; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It shall be the policy of the state of Washington to:

(1) Recognize the family as the most important social and economic unit of society and support the central role parents play in child rearing. All parents are encouraged to participate fully in the effort to improve the quality of child care services.

(2) Promote a variety of culturally and developmentally appropriate child care settings and services of the highest possible quality in accordance with the basic principle of continuity of care. These settings shall include, but not be limited to, family day care homes, mini-centers, centers and schools.

(3) Promote the growth, development and safety of children by working with community groups including providers and parents to establish standards for quality service, training of child care providers, fair and equitable monitoring, and salary levels commensurate with provider responsibilities and support services.

(4) Ensure equal access to quality, affordable, socio-economically integrated child care for all children and families.

(5) Facilitate broad community and private sector involvement in the provision of quality child care services to foster economic development and assist industry.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) There is established a child care coordinating committee to provide coordination and communication between state agencies responsible for child care and early childhood education services. The child care coordinating committee shall be composed of not less than seventeen nor more than thirty members who shall include:

(a) One representative each from the department of social and health services, the department of community development, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and any other agency having responsibility for regulation, provision, or funding of child care services in the state;

(b) One representative from the governor's commission on children;

(d) At least one representative of family home child care providers and one representative of center care providers;

(e) At least one representative of early childhood development experts;

(f) At least one representative of school districts and teachers involved in the provision of child care and preschool programs;

(g) At least one parent education specialist;

(h) At least one representative of resource and referral programs;

(i) One pediatric or other health professional;

(j) At least one representative of a citizen group concerned with child care;

(k) At least one representative of a labor organization;

(l) At least one representative of a head start - ECAP agency;

(m) At least one employer who provides child care assistance to employees;

(n) Parents of children receiving, or in need of, child care, including at least two parents whose children are receiving or are in need of subsidized child care.

The named state agencies shall select their representative to the child care coordinating committee. The department of social and health services shall select the remaining members until such time as the committee adopts a member selection process. Staff support for the child care coordinating committee shall be provided by the department of social and health services on an ongoing basis.

The committee shall elect officers from among its membership and shall adopt policies and procedures specifying the lengths of terms, methods for filling vacancies, and other matters necessary to the ongoing functioning of the committee. The secretary of social and health services shall appoint a temporary chair until the committee has adopted policies and elected a chair accordingly. Child care coordinating committee members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

(2) The child care coordinating committee shall:

(a) Serve as an advisory coordinator for all state agencies responsible for early childhood or child care programs. The committee shall annually review state programs and make recommendations to the agencies and the legislature which will maximize funding and promote furtherance of the policies set forth in section 1 of this act;

(b) Review and propose changes to the child care subsidy system by January 1, 1989. The proposal regarding the subsidy system should include a plan to bring state reimbursement rates to a level equal to the actual cost of providing care by 1992. If additional federal funding becomes available, the proposal should be completed as soon as possible thereafter. The reimbursement plan shall include a method for reassessing actual costs at reasonable intervals;

(d) Review alternative models for child care service systems, in the context of the policies set forth in section 1 of this act, and recommend a new child care service structure, as the committee determines appropriate;

(e) Perform other functions to improve the quantity and quality of child care in the state, including compliance with existing and future prerequisites for federal funding.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The legislature recognizes that a severe shortage of child care exists to the detriment of all families and employers throughout the state. Many workers are unable to enter or remain in the work force due to a shortage of child care resources. The high costs of starting a child care business create a barrier to the creation of new slots, especially for children with special needs.

(2) A child care expansion grant fund is created in the custody of the secretary of the department. Grants shall be awarded on a one-time only basis to persons needing assistance to start a child care center or mini-center as defined by the department by rule, or to existing licensed child care providers, including family home providers, for the purpose of making capital improvements in order to accommodate handicapped children as defined under chapter 72.40 RCW, sick children, or children needing night time care. No grant may exceed ten thousand dollars. Start-up costs shall not include operational costs after the first three months of business.

(3) Child care expansion grants shall be awarded on the basis of need for the proposed services in the community, within appropriated funds.

(4) The department shall adopt rules under chapter 34.04 RCW setting forth criteria, application procedures, and methods to assure compliance with the purposes described in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW to read as follows:

In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts expended for the capital and operation expenses to provide child care in an on-site facility for employees or to directly purchase child care services for employees.

This section shall not apply to expenditures for services provided out-of-state and shall not apply to any type of salary reduction plan.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 74.13 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The sum of _______ dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, for the purposes of section 3 of this act.

(2) The sum of .......... dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, for the purpose of increasing the subsidy rates for regular day care and reservation day care programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.