SHB 2431 -
By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care
ADOPTED 03/02/2006
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 2005 c 452 s 1 (uncodified) is reenacted and amended to
read as follows:
(1) A joint task force on criminal background check processes is
established. The joint task force shall consist of the following
members:
(a) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate,
appointed by the president of the senate;
(b) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house
of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives;
(c) The chief of the Washington state patrol, or the chief's
designee;
(d) The secretary of the department of social and health services,
or the secretary's designee;
(e) The secretary of the department of health, or the secretary's
designee;
(f) The state superintendent of public instruction, or the
superintendent's designee;
(((f))) (g) An elected sheriff or police chief, selected by the
Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs; and
(((g))) (h) The following ((eleven)) twelve members, jointly
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the
president of the senate:
(i) A representative from a nonprofit service organization that
serves primarily children under sixteen years of age;
(ii) A health care provider as defined in RCW 7.70.020;
(iii) A representative from a business or organization that
primarily serves persons with a developmental disability;
(iv) A representative from a local youth athletic association;
(v) A representative from the insurance industry;
(vi) A representative of the Washington association of criminal
defense lawyers;
(vii) Two representatives from a local parks and recreation
program; one member shall be selected by the association of Washington
cities and one member shall be selected by the Washington association
of counties;
(((vii))) (viii) A representative from a for-profit entity that
primarily serves children;
(((viii))) (ix) A representative from a business or organization
that primarily serves vulnerable adults;
(((ix))) (x) A representative selected by the state's long-term
care ombudsman; and
(((x))) (xi) As a nonvoting ex officio member, a representative of
an organization that serves as a clearinghouse for other nonprofit
organizations in the state and that recruits volunteers and trains
nonprofit boards of directors.
(2) The task force shall choose two cochairs from among its
membership.
(3) The task force shall review and make recommendations to the
legislature and the governor regarding criminal background check policy
in Washington state. In preparing the recommendations, the committee
shall, at a minimum, review the following issues:
(a) What state and federal statutes require regarding criminal
background checks, and determine whether any changes should be made;
(b) What criminal offenses are currently reportable through the
criminal background check program, and determine whether any changes
should be made;
(c) What information is available through the Washington state
patrol and the federal bureau of investigation criminal background
check systems, and determine whether any changes should be made;
(d) What are the best practices among organizations for obtaining
criminal background checks on their employees and volunteers;
(e) What is the feasibility and costs for businesses and
organizations to do periodic background checks;
(f) What is the feasibility of requiring all businesses and
organizations, including nonprofit entities, to conduct criminal
background checks for all employees, contractors, agents, and
volunteers who have regularly scheduled supervised or unsupervised
access to children, persons with a developmental disability, or
vulnerable adults;
(g) What is the feasibility of establishing a state registration
program for private youth sports coaches under which some or all of
such persons are required to obtain and disclose to prospective clients
and employers a copy of the results of their fingerprint-based criminal
background checks;
(h) What is the feasibility of requiring the department of health
to conduct background checks on all applicants for initial licenses to
practice a health profession;
(i) What is the feasibility of requiring the department of health
to review federal health care provider data banks for any actions taken
against health care providers licensed in Washington;
(j) A review of the practices of the department of social and
health services with respect to checking the backgrounds of its
employees, applicants for employment, and candidates for promotion; and
(((i))) (k) A review of the benefits and obstacles of implementing
a criminal history record information background check program created
by the national child protection act of 1993. The national child
protection act of 1993 increases the availability of criminal history
record information background checks for employers who have employees
or volunteers who work with children, elderly persons, or persons with
disabilities.
(4) The task force, where feasible, may consult with individuals
from the public and private sector.
(5) The task force shall use legislative facilities and staff from
senate committee services and the house office of program research.
(6) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to
the legislature by December 31, ((2005)) 2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec.2 This act expires January 31, 2007."
SHB 2431 -
By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care
ADOPTED 03/02/2006
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "checks;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "reenacting and amending 2005 c 452 s 1 (uncodified); and providing an expiration date."