READ FIRST TIME 02/03/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to community-based and faith-based social services organizations; and adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary shall designate a person within each of the department's administrative regions to serve as a liaison for community-based and faith-based social services organizations, regardless of denomination. The liaison shall be available to such organizations for the purpose of:
     (a) Providing information as it relates to opportunities for such organizations to cooperate with the department in providing community services throughout the state;
     (b) Identifying areas of need that are not currently being met in the state that community-based and faith-based social services organizations may provide;
     (c) Coordinating efforts to promote involvement of community-based and faith-based social service organizations in providing community services.
     (2) The secretary shall include provisions in its contracts indicating that community-based and faith-based social services organizations that receive funds from the department must not:
     (a) Engage in discrimination that denies service to a potential client on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, religion, or presence of a disability; or
     (b) Engage in activities that promote conversion to a particular faith, institution, or cause, unless participation in those activities is voluntary.
     (3) The department shall achieve the purposes of this section through existing resources.
     (4) By January 1, 2005, and annually for the four years thereafter, the department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on the activities of the liaisons, including identification of the community-based and faith-based organizations served.