HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1619

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                 Children & Family Services

Title:  An act relating to foster parents.

Brief Description:  Changing the liability insurance of foster parents.

Sponsors:  Representatives McDonald, Kagi, Boldt, Lovick, Tokuda, Wood, Clements, Carrell, D. Schmidt, Linville, Dickerson, O'Brien, Mielke, Kenney and Haigh.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/11/99, 2/25/99 [DPA].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Foster parents will be reimbursed for the replacement value of items damaged or destroyed by foster children.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives D. Sommers, Republican Co-Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co-Chair; Boldt, Republican Vice Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Campbell; Carrell; Dickerson; Eickmeyer; Kastama and Pflug.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

The Department of Social and Health Services provides liability insurance to licensed foster parents.  The liability coverage includes liability, injury and property damage claims filed against foster parents.  The total amount that may be expended on liability insurance claims cannot exceed $500,000 per biennium.

Summary of Amended Bill:

The Department of Social and Health Services will reimburse foster parents for damage caused by foster children.  The department will reimburse foster parents for the replacement value of the item damaged or destroyed.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill modified the liability insurance coverage that protects foster parents from claims by third parties to provide coverage for damage caused by foster children.  The substitute bill establishes a reimbursement policy based on the replacement value of the item damaged or destroyed.

Appropriation:  The sum of $290,000.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 1999.

Testimony For:  (Original bill) The Department of Social and Health Services does not reimbursement foster parents for the replacement value of items damaged or destroyed by foster children. This is an unfair financial burden for foster parents.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified:  (In support)  Representative Joyce McDonald (prime sponsor); Darlene Flowers, Foster Parents Association of Washington State;  Robert Ott, Foster Parents Association of Washington State;  Ann Webster, Children's Home Society of Washington State;  Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; and Tina Davis.