HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2370

BYRepresentatives Pruitt, Jacobsen, Rector, Brumsickle, Anderson, Phillips, Bowman, H. Myers, Valle, Cole, G. Fisher, Dorn, Rasmussen, Prentice, Fraser, Heavey, Leonard, Sprenkle, Wineberry, R. Fisher, Todd, Basich, Ferguson, Winsley and Schoon

Promoting community service.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Todd, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; R. Fisher, R. King, Morris, O'Brien and Silver.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Hankins.

House Staff:Barbara McLain (786-7135)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Appelwick, Belcher, Brekke, Dorn, Ebersole, Hine, Inslee, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Bowman, Doty, McLean, Nealey and Padden.

House Staff:      Susan Nakagawa (786-7145)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 26, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Voluntarism/Community Service in Washington.  A number of state programs in Washington encourage and facilitate voluntarism and community service.  The Center for Voluntary Action was created in the Department of Community Development in 1982. Assisted by a council of 21 members, the center co-sponsors training workshops for volunteer managers across the state, provides technical assistance on organizing volunteers, maintains a resource library, publishes a newsletter, and coordinates the Governor's Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

Another effort is the Washington Service Corps, operated under the Employment Security Department.  The corps places 18 to 25 year old youth in full-time community service positions where they develop both necessary work skills and a sense of commitment to the communities they serve.  The Washington Conservation Corps and the Senior Environmental Corps are other service-oriented programs.

Community Service in Other States.  Several states have become quite active in their promotion of community service, particularly by students and youth.  Maryland was the first state to require all school districts to offer opportunities for community service.  Students receive credit for service under programs coordinated by the Maryland Student Service Alliance.

Pennsylvania has an office of citizen services, called PennSERVE, within the office of the governor.  PennSERVE supports the development of a full-time youth service corps, supports school and college-based service-learning programs, and serves as an advocate for voluntarism throughout the state.

Federal Community Service Initiatives.  In 1989, over 20 bills were introduced in Congress dealing with national or youth service. One of the most comprehensive was a bill by Senator Kennedy entitled "The National and Community Service Act of 1989."  The act would have provided grants for school and higher education-based community service, created a Youth Service Corps and a National Service Demonstration Program, expanded VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), and established a coordinating body for service called the Corporation for National Service.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Office for Citizen Service.   An Office for Citizen Service is created in the Department of Community Development (DCD).

In carrying out its mission to provide leadership, coordination, and assistance in fostering citizen service, the office has the following responsibilities:

            1)Serve as a liaison and a networking resource in order to link volunteers with service opportunities and coordinate collaborative efforts between schools, community organizations, institutions of higher education, and businesses;

            2)Cooperate with the Center for Voluntary Action in providing an information clearinghouse, developing ways to recognize and reward service, and serving as a broker for information resources, training, and technical assistance;

            3)Develop a strategic plan to foster citizen service;

            4)Initiate the following kinds of pilot projects:  (a) service opportunities for students enrolled in institutions of higher education, either on a credit or non-credit basis; (b) integration of service into school curricula as an experiential learning tool; and (c) utilization of seniors in citizen service;

            5)Seek funding from outside sources and administer grant programs for citizen service programs should funds become available;

            6)Recommend to the governor and the Legislature policies that encourage citizen service; and

            7)Report to the governor and the Legislature each biennium on the progress of the office.

The office is to be advised and assisted by the Serve Washington Council.  The council is composed of 18 members.  Four members represent the following agencies and are appointed by the head of the appropriate agency:  the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Employment Security Department, and the Department of Social & Health Services.  The four agency members are each to be assigned to assist in the work of the office for at least two-tenths time (.2 FTE each).  The governor also appoints a representative of the governor's office, and the speaker of the House and president of the Senate jointly appoint a legislator to the council.

These six members then appoint the remaining 12 members of the council, with members to represent various interests and interest groups.  Members serve a two-year term and are eligible for reappointment.

The council submits three names for the director of DCD to select a director of the Office for Citizen Service.

Serve Washington Pilot Program.  The Serve Washington Pilot Program is created to provide funds for education and full-time service projects for youth in the state.  Applications may be made to the Office for Citizen Service, which will grant funds to at least one project in each of the following areas:

            1)A project that is part of a major school restructuring program.  The project may be a school under the "Schools for the Twenty-first Century" program;

            2)A higher education service project;

            3)A full-time service program for out-of-school use; and

            4)A project conducted in collaboration with an existing public or private nonprofit agency.

The Office for Citizen Service, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, will identify objectives for projects and develop outcome indicators to be used to assess program effectiveness.  The office will evaluate projects receiving grants and report to the education committees of the Senate and House by January 1, 1992.  The pilot program expires January 10, 1992.

$200,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Community Development to carry out the purposes of the act.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The director of the Office for Citizen Service is appointed by the director of DCD, rather than the governor.  The office has the responsibility to develop a strategic plan to foster citizen service.  Members of the Serve Washington Council from the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Higher Education Coordinating Board, Employment Security Department, and Department of Social & Health Services are to assist in the work of the office at least two-tenths time (.2 FTE each).

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SECOND SUBSTITUTE BILL):  The second substitute bill deletes creation of a new office for citizen service within the Department of Community Development.  The duties and responsibilities regarding citizen service are placed within the department's existing Center for Voluntary Action.  The Serve Washington pilot program is deleted.  One additional staff person is to be hired by the director.  The appropriation is deleted.

Appropriation:    (State Government Committee)  $200,000 to the Department of Community Development.

(Appropriations Committee)  None.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (State Government)  Representative Wes Pruitt, prime sponsor; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Maryland Student Service Alliance; Bill Basl, Washington Service Corps, Employment Security Department; Bill Grace, Center for Leadership and Service, Seattle University; Kate McPherson, Project Service Leadership; Roland MacNichol, Gig Harbor High School; Rachael Vaughn, student, Gig Harbor High School; David Wilson, Earthstewards Network; Jerry Thornton, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Jobie Winans, Center for Voluntary Action, Department of Community Development; and Louise Batchelor.

(Appropriations)  Representative Wes Pruitt, prime sponsor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (State Government)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (State Government)  Citizens and leaders need to rekindle the spirit of a time when communities and public service to the community were important to the country.  Many young people have talents, energy, and enthusiasm, but they feel that no one values them.  Service offers an opportunity for involvement, commitment, empowerment; it gives people joy for making a difference.  The state has service programs, but it needs a champion for service, particularly youth service.  The office could coordinate and foster service, create a climate and an ethic of service.

(Appropriations)  This legislation will encourage voluntary citizen activity.  Citizen volunteers are essential to communities, and deserve and need recognition.  This bill will promote more active participation.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (State Government)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.