AN ACT Relating to child abuse; amending RCW 43.121.020, 43.121.050, and 43.121.100; adding a new section to chapter 43.121 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.58 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that children are society's most valuable resource and that child abuse and neglect is a threat to the physical, mental, and emotional health of children. The legislature further finds that assisting community-based private nonprofit and public organizations, agencies, or school districts in identifying and establishing needed primary prevention programs will reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect, and the necessity for costly subsequent intervention in family life by the state. Child abuse and neglect prevention programs can be most effectively and economically administered through the use of trained volunteers and the cooperative efforts of the communities, citizens, and the state. The legislature finds that the Washington council for prevention of child abuse is an effective counsel for reducing child abuse but limited resources have prevented the council from funding promising prevention concepts state-wide.

It is the intent of the legislature to establish a cost-neutral revenue system for the children's trust fund which is designed to fund primary prevention programs and innovative prevention related activities such as research or public awareness campaigns. The fund shall be supported through revenue created by the sale of heirloom birth certificates. This concept has proven to be a cost-effective approach to funding child abuse prevention in the state of Oregon. The legislature believes that this is an innovative way of using private dollars to supplement our public dollars to reduce child abuse and neglect.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.121 RCW to read as follows:

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Child" means an unmarried person who is under eighteen years of age.

(2) "Primary prevention" of child abuse and neglect means any effort designed to inhibit or preclude the initial occurrence of child abuse and neglect, both by the promotion of positive parenting and family interaction, and the remediation of factors linked to causes of child maltreatment.

(3) "Secondary prevention" means services and programs that identify and assist families under such stress that abuse or neglect is likely or families display symptoms associated with child abuse or neglect.

Sec. 3. Section 2, chapter 4, Laws of 1982 as amended by section 1, chapter 261, Laws of 1984 and RCW 43.121.020 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is established in the executive office of the governor a Washington council for the prevention of child abuse and neglect subject to the jurisdiction of the governor. ((~~As used in this chapter, "council" means the Washington council for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.~~))

(2) The council shall be composed of the chairperson and ten other members as follows:

(a) The chairperson and four other members shall be appointed by the governor and shall be selected for their interest and expertise in the prevention of child abuse. A minimum of four designees by the governor shall not be affiliated with governmental agencies. A minimum of two of the designees shall reside east of the Cascade mountain range. Members appointed by the governor shall serve for two-year terms, except that the chairperson and two other members designated by the governor shall initially serve for three years. Vacancies shall be filled for any unexpired term by appointment in the same manner as the original appointments were made.

(b) The secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee and the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee shall serve as voting members of the council.

(c) In addition to the members of the council, four members of the legislature shall serve as nonvoting, ex officio members of the council, one from each political caucus of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one from each political caucus of the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate.

Sec. 4. Section 5, chapter 4, Laws of 1982 and RCW 43.121.050 are each amended to read as follows:

To carry out the purposes of this chapter, the council on child abuse and neglect may:

(1) Contract with public or private nonprofit organizations, agencies, schools, or with qualified individuals for the establishment of community-based educational and service programs designed to reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. Contracts also may be awarded for research programs related to primary and secondary prevention of child abuse and neglect, and to develop and strengthen community child abuse and neglect prevention networks. Each contract entered into by the council shall contain a provision for the evaluation of services provided under the contract. Contracts for services to prevent child abuse and child neglect shall be awarded as demonstration projects with continuation based upon goal attainment. Contracts for services to prevent child abuse and child neglect shall be awarded on the basis of probability of success based in part upon sound research data.

(2) Facilitate the exchange of information between groups concerned with families and children.

(3) Consult with applicable state agencies, commissions, and boards to help determine the probable effectiveness, fiscal soundness, and need for proposed educational and service programs for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

(4) Establish fee schedules to provide for the recipients of services to reimburse the state general fund for the cost of services received.

(5) Adopt its own bylaws.

(6) Adopt rules under chapter 34.04 RCW as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Sec. 5. Section 10, chapter 4, Laws of 1982 as amended by section 3, chapter 261 Laws of 1984 and RCW 43.121.100 are each amended to read as follows:

The council may accept contributions, grants, or gifts in cash or otherwise, including funds generated by the sale of "heirloom" birth certificates under chapter 70.58 RCW from persons, associations, or corporations. All moneys received by the council or any employee thereof from contributions, grants, or gifts and not through appropriation by the legislature shall be deposited in a depository approved by the state treasurer to be known as the children's trust fund. Disbursements of such funds shall be on the authorization of the council or a duly authorized representative thereof and only for the purposes stated in RCW 43.121.050. In order to maintain an effective expenditure and revenue control, such funds shall be subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation shall be required to permit expenditure of such funds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 70.58 RCW to read as follows:

(1) In addition to the original birth certificate, the state registrar shall issue upon request and upon payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars a birth certificate representing that the birth of the person named thereon is recorded in the office of the registrar. The certificate issued under this section shall be in a form consistent with the need to protect the integrity of vital records but shall be suitable for display. It may bear the seal of the state printed thereon and may be signed by the governor. It shall have the same status as evidence as the original birth certificate.

(2) Of the funds received under subsection (1) of this section, the amount needed to reimburse the registrar for expenses incurred in administering this section shall be credited to the state registrar account. The remainder shall be credited to the children's trust fund established under RCW 43.121.100.