AN ACT Relating to child care services for Washington state employees; amending RCW 41.04.385 and 74.13.090; adding a new section to chapter 41.04 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. Section 1, chapter 135, Laws of 1986 and RCW 41.04.385 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature finds that (1) demographic, economic, and social trends underlie a critical and increasing demand for child day care in the state of Washington; (2) working parents and their children benefit when the employees' child care needs have been resolved; and (3) the state of Washington should serve as a model employer by creating a supportive atmosphere, to the extent feasible, in which its employees may meet their child day care needs and by allocating funds appropriated for the construction of new buildings to develop child care facilities for its employees. The legislature finds further that resolving employee child day care concerns not only benefits the employees and their children, but may benefit the employer by reducing absenteeism, increasing employee productivity, improving morale, and enhancing the employer's position in recruiting and retaining employees. Therefore, the legislature declares that it is the policy of the state of Washington to assist state employees by creating a supportive atmosphere in which they may meet their child day care needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) All state agencies, including all state departments, boards, councils, commissions, and quasi-public corporations shall allocate, as a nondeductible item, out of any money appropriated for the original construction of any building, an amount equal to one percent of the appropriation for the purpose of accommodating the child day care needs of the employees that will be working in such building.

(2) Funds allocated under subsection (1) of this section shall be used to accommodate the child day care needs of state employees in one or more of the following ways:

(a) Construction of a day care center in the building for which construction money has been appropriated;

(b) Construction of a day care center in a location convenient to the building for which construction money has been appropriated; or

(c) Provision of a grant to an existing child day care provider, licensed under chapter 74.15 RCW, that is in a location convenient to the building for which construction money has been appropriated, for the purpose of expanding the physical capacity of such center to accommodate the children of state employees working in such building:

!ixPROVIDED, That nothing shall preclude two or more state departments, boards, councils, commissions, or quasi-public corporations from pooling money allocated under subsection (1) of this section to accommodate the child day care needs of their employees: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That nothing shall preclude the use of funds allocated under subsection (1) of this section from being used to benefit employees of other state departments, boards, councils, commissions, or quasi-public corporations located at or near the site of the building for which construction money has been appropriated.

Sec. 3. Section 2, chapter 213, Laws of 1988 and RCW 74.13.090 are each amended to read as follows:

(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 college or university child care providers;

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

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

(m) At least one representative of a head start - early childhood education assistance program agency;

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

(o) Parents of children receiving, or in need of, child care, half of whom shall be parents needing or receiving subsidized child care and half of whom shall be parents who are able to pay for 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, considering recommendations from lists submitted by professional associations and other interest groups until such time as the committee adopts a member selection process. Staff support for the child care coordinating committee shall be provided within available resources by the department of social and health services on an ongoing basis. The department shall use any federal funds which may become available to accomplish the purposes of RCW 74.13.085 through 74.13.095.

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) To the extent possible within available funds, the child care coordinating committee shall:

(a) Serve as an advisory coordinator for all state agencies responsible for early childhood or child care programs for the purpose of improving communication and interagency coordination, but not to review the substance of 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 RCW 74.13.085;

(b) Review and propose changes to the child care subsidy system by December 1, 1989;

(d) Review alternative models for child care service systems, in the context of the policies set forth in RCW 74.13.085, and recommend to the legislature a new child care service structure;

(e) Review ((~~options and make recommendations on the feasibility of establishing an allocation for day care facilities when constructing state buildings~~)) the administration and implementation of section 2 of this act; and

(f) 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. 4. 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. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.