BILL REQ. #:  H-2238.1 

Read first time 02/21/2007.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to monitoring compliance with sexual equality laws; amending RCW 28A.640.030; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Washington state and the nation benefit from equal educational opportunities for all students and employees of the public schools. The legislature further finds that in recognition of this benefit, numerous existing state and federal constitutional provisions, laws, rules, and regulations prohibit, and provide redress against, harassment and discrimination. In doing so, these laws and regulations promote the protection and well-being of students and staff. The legislature further finds that lack of monitoring compliance with these laws and regulations significantly weakens these protections and that the state has a responsibility to identify noncompliance, coordinate resources, and provide a greater presence by monitoring compliance more frequently than is currently done. Additionally, the legislature recognizes that regular and increased monitoring can play an important role in preventing problems from arising by ensuring the school district's understanding of its responsibilities under state and federal law; can benefit the state by reducing the costs associated with complaints and lawsuits due to noncompliance; and will further protect Washington's students from suffering the harmful effects of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.640.030 and 1975 1st ex.s. c 226 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall be required to monitor the compliance by local school districts with this chapter, including district's compliance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations concerning sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and sexual discrimination towards students, and employee knowledge of those laws, rules, and regulations and of their reporting responsibilities. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a compliance timetable and ((regulations)) rules for enforcement of this chapter, and shall establish guidelines for ((affirmative action)) nondiscrimination programs to be adopted by all school districts.
     (2) The compliance monitoring process shall be conducted on a three-year cycle, with one-third of the school districts reporting each year. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall conduct on-site district visits for at least one-fourth of the districts that are reporting each year.