BILL REQ. #:  S-1058.1 

Read first time 01/28/09.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to the creation of a child welfare transparency committee; and adding a new chapter to Title 74 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature is increasingly concerned about the handling of child welfare cases by the children's administration in the department of social and health services. It has been difficult for either the legislature or the public to fully understand the workings of the child welfare system because so much information is kept from public view. The legislature finds that the creation of a transparency committee to review and investigate certain child welfare cases may assist in shedding light on how the children's administration is performing.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1)(a) A child welfare transparency committee is created within each of the six regions of the department of social and health services to review and investigate child welfare cases as provided in this chapter.
     (b) The members of the committee must be appointed as follows:
     (i) The governor shall appoint one member for each committee established in each of the department's six regions;
     (ii) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate for each committee established in each of the department's six regions; and
     (iii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives for each committee established in each of the department's six regions.
     (c) No member can be a current employee of the department, have been employed by the department within the past five years, or have immediate relatives, by blood or marriage, who are currently employed by the department.
     (d) The names of the members of the committees must be made public.
     (e) Each committee shall select a chair from among its membership.
     (f) The members shall serve three-year terms and must be staggered, beginning August 1, 2009.
     (2)(a) The purpose of the child welfare transparency committee is to review and investigate child welfare cases in which the department of social and health services is currently or has, within the last twelve months, been involved.
     (b) The committee has the discretion to determine which cases brought to its attention merit review or investigation.
     (c) To assist the committee in its work, the children's administration shall provide, upon the committee's request, any documents it has regarding the cases being reviewed or investigated by the committee. These documents must be provided within fourteen days of being requested. The children's administration shall also make personnel involved in the case being reviewed or investigated available to the committee if needed.
     (3) All meetings of the committee must be open to the public, unless the committee is discussing information that is otherwise confidential under state or federal law.
     (4) The committee may consider input from interested parties.
     (5) The children's administration shall provide staff support to the committee.
     (6) Legislative members of the committee must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (7)(a) The chair shall convene an initial meeting of the committee no later than September 1, 2009.
     (b) The committee must meet at least once a quarter and may hold additional meetings at the call of the chair or by a majority vote of the members of the committee.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Sections 1 through 2 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 74 RCW.