AN ACT Relating to child care; amending RCW 74.13.090; amending section 2, chapter 329, Laws of 1987 (uncodified); adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35.63 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35A.63 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.70 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35.22 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.32 RCW; creating new sections; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the development of child care options within local communities. The supply of licensed child care facilities in Washington state is insufficient to meet the growing demand for child care services. The legislature finds that there are impediments which reduce the development of and access to quality child care services and that technical assistance will encourage the expansion of child care options in the community. The legislature further finds that it is in the public's interest to encourage the dispersion of child care facilities throughout cities and counties in Washington so that child care services are available at convenient locations to working parents.

LOCAL CHILD CARE RESOURCES

Sec. 2. 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~~)) and, in conjunction with the office of the child care resource coordinator operating under the authority of the department of social and health services, encourage the expansion of child care service in local communities. 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; 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. 3. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

The office of the child care resources coordinator operating under the authority of the department of social and health services shall with the involvement and advice of the child care coordinating committee:

(1) Actively seek public or private moneys and administer funding of available grants to local governments, private industry, and community-based nonprofit corporations for the purpose of:

(a) Creating and coordinating child care information and referral systems; and

(b) Actively assisting the child care partnership created by chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989 if passed, and the business assistance center under RCW 43.31.085 in their efforts to provide information to business on child care options which will enable businesses to assess and fulfill their child care needs and those of their employees.

(2) Provide information to local information and referral systems about all licensed child care providers in the state. The data shall include information about the existence of providers by locality and the status of the providers' licenses, including whether the license has been issued, denied, revoked, or suspended or whether a letter of intent to deny, suspend, or revoke has been issued by the department of social and health services. Department of social and health services licensors shall work with the child care resource coordinator in making such information readily available to local resource and referral systems.

(3) Coordinate the provision of training and technical assistance to child care providers.

(4) Collect, develop, and disseminate information to assist employers and to foster a public-private partnership to increase and improve available child care.

(5) Collect and assemble information regarding the availability of insurance and of federal and other child-care funding to assist the department, industry, and other providers in offering child care related services.

(6) (a) With the involvement of community child care advocates and the child care coordinating committee, the child care resources coordinator shall work to create county or multicounty child care resource and referral systems. All groups with an interest in child care, including employers and parents, shall be represented on the resource and referral organization's board.

(b) Local resource and referral organizations may carry out needs assessments, resource development, provider training, technical assistance, resource and referral, and parent information and training.

(c) The local child care resource and referral systems shall be organized into a state-wide network. The child care resources coordinator shall provide staff support and technical assistance to these organizations.

(7)(a) State grants shall be awarded by the department of social and health services to the child care resource and referral systems to provide the services outlined in subsection (6)(b) of this section.

(b) The state, through local resource and referral systems shall compile data about child care needs and availability at the local level for future planning and development.

Sec. 4. Section 2, chapter 329, Laws of 1987 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

Section 1 of this act shall expire June 30, ((~~1989~~)) 1991, unless extended by law for an additional fixed period of time.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. There is appropriated from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, the sum of fifty thousand five hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for start-up operating grants for the local child care resource and referral systems.

LOCAL ZONE AND AREA LAND USE FOR CHILD CARE

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 7 through 11 of this act:

(1) "Family day care home" means a person regularly providing care during part of the twenty-four-hour day to six or fewer children in the family abode of the person or persons under whose direct care the children are placed.

(2) "Mini-day care center" means a person or agency providing care during part of the twenty-four-hour day to twelve or fewer children in a facility other than the family abode of the person or persons under whose direct care the children are placed, or for the care of seven through twelve children in the family abode of such person or persons.

(3) "Day care center" means a person or agency that provides care for thirteen or more children during part of the twenty-four-hour day.

(4) "Child care facility" means a family day care home, mini-day care center, and day care center.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 35.63 RCW to read as follows:

Each municipality that does not provide for the siting of family day care homes in zones or areas that are designated for single family or other residential uses, and for the siting of mini-day care centers and day care centers in zones or areas that are designated for residential or commercial uses, shall review the need and demand for child care facilities. The review shall be completed by November 30, 1990. A copy of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the review shall be sent to the child care partnership created in chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989, if it passes, and to the child care coordinating committee created in RCW 74.13.090 by December 31, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 35A.63 RCW to read as follows:

Each municipality that does not provide for the siting of family day care homes in zones or areas that are designated for single family or other residential uses, and for the siting of mini-day care centers and day care centers in zones or areas that are designated for residential or commercial uses, shall be subject to a review by the municipality of the need and demand for child care facilities. The review shall be completed by November 30, 1990. A copy of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the review shall be sent to the child care partnership created in chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989, if it passes, and to the child care coordinating committee created in RCW 74.13.090 by December 31, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 36.70 RCW to read as follows:

Each county that does not provide for the siting of family day care homes in zones that are designated for single family or other residential uses, and for the siting of mini-day care centers and day care centers in zones that are designated for residential or commercial uses, shall be subject to a review by the county of the need and demand for child care facilities. The review shall be completed by November 30, 1990. A copy of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the review shall be sent to the child care partnership created in chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989, if it passes, and to the child care coordinating committee created in RCW 74.13.090 by December 31, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A new section is added to chapter 35.22 RCW to read as follows:

If a first class city zones pursuant to its inherent charter authority and not pursuant to chapter 35.63 RCW, then each first class city that does not provide for the siting of family day care homes in zones or areas that are designated for single family or other residential uses, and for the siting of mini-day care centers and day care centers in zones or areas that are designated for residential or commercial uses, shall be subject to a review by the city of the need and demand for child care facilities. The review shall be completed by November 30, 1990. A copy of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the review shall be sent to the child care partnership created in chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989, if it passes, and to the child care coordinating committee created in RCW 74.13.090 by December 31, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 36.32 RCW to read as follows:

If a county operating under home rule charter zones pursuant to its inherent charter authority and not pursuant to chapter 35.63 RCW, nor chapter 36.70 RCW, and that county does not provide for the siting of family day care homes in zones or areas that are designated for single family or other residential uses, and for the siting of mini-day care centers and day care centers in zones or areas that are designated for residential or commercial uses, the need and demand for child care facilities shall be subject to a review by the county. The review shall be completed by November 30, 1990. A copy of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the review shall be sent to the child care partnership created in chapter ... (SB 6051), Laws of 1989, if it passes, and to the child care coordinating committee created in RCW 74.13.090 by December 31, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. This act may be known and cited as the child care act of 1989.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. Subchapter headings as used in this act do not constitute any part of the law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. The department of community development shall:

(1) Report to the appropriate committees of the legislature the results of the local reviews provided for in sections 7 through 11 of this act by January 31, 1991.

(2) In consultation with the Washington association of county officials, the association of Washington cities, the Washington state family child care association, and the Washington association for the education of young children, develop a model ordinance for the siting of child care facilities. Development of the ordinance shall be completed by June 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. The sum of four thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the department of community development to carry out the purposes of section 9 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. 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.