S-4033               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6687

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Rinehart, Bailey and Bauer

Read first time 1/22/90 and referred to Committee on  Education.

AN ACT Relating to funding for the early childhood education and assistance program; adding a new section to chapter 43.88 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 longitudinal studies have shown that investment in comprehensive early childhood education and assistance programs results in long-term reductions in the costs of special education, unemployment, welfare, crime, and teen pregnancy.  The legislature states its long-term commitment to reducing the future costs for these programs by present investments in early childhood education and assistance programs.  The legislature further recognizes that it is only through programs of early intervention and prevention that the ever-increasing costs of social programs will be reduced.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.88 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The legislature shall appropriate a sum equivalent to not less than one percent of the sum of the appropriations determined under subsection (2) of this section for deposit in the early childhood account.  Appropriations made pursuant to this subsection shall not be used to reduce the appropriations for programs under subsection (2) of this section.

          (2) The legislature shall, on a biennial basis, determine the sum of the appropriations during that fiscal biennium for the following:

          (a) Substance abuse prevention and intervention programs;

          (b) Adult corrections and juvenile rehabilitation programs;

          (c) Education remediation including special education, learning assistance programs, educational clinics, and dropout prevention programs;

          (d) Programs strengthening the family including teen pregnancy and parenting programs and child abuse prevention and intervention programs;

          (e) Training and retraining programs for chronically unemployed and underemployed persons; and

          (f) Welfare and job training programs for families with dependent children including the aid to families with dependent children and the family independence programs.

          (3) Funds appropriated under subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited in the early childhood account hereby created in the state treasury.  Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.  Expenditures in the account shall only be made for the early childhood education and assistance program.  These funds shall only be used to enhance funding levels for the early childhood education and assistance program and shall not be used to replace current levels of funding for the early childhood education and assistance program and other children's programs.

          (4) The requirements of this section shall be referenced in the governor's budget document under RCW 43.88.030.