BILL REQ. #:  S-0592.3 

Read first time 02/18/09.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to providing personal hygiene and cleaning products to low-income people; creating new sections; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) The ability to maintain basic personal hygiene for oneself and one's family is a key to good health and improves access to gainful employment, housing, and other important social contacts.
     (b) For school-age children and teenagers who lack resources, poor hygiene can adversely affect critical social development and success in school.
     (c) Washington citizens who rely on the state's basic food program and similar benefit programs to meet their fundamental needs may not have access to basic cleaning products and personal care items because the purchase of those items is not authorized through those programs.
     (2) The legislature intends to establish a pilot project, designed to determine whether some of the state's neediest citizens would benefit from a program to provide access to personal hygiene products and basic cleaning supplies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The department of community, trade, and economic development shall conduct a pilot project to evaluate the costs and benefits of a personal hygiene and cleaning product program. The goal of the project is to evaluate the feasibility of providing personal hygiene and cleaning products to people in need using volunteer-based organizations.
     (1) In conducting the pilot project, the department shall:
     (a) Identify qualifying products necessary for personal health and cleanliness, such as soap, shampoo, antiperspirant, dental care items, and foot care products; household cleaning products and supplies; laundry detergents; feminine hygiene products; shaving supplies; and toilet tissue and other paper products;
     (b) Adopt eligibility standards, similar to those used for the basic food program;
     (c) Choose at least two communities, at least one on each side of the Cascade mountain range, in which to conduct the pilot project. In choosing the communities the department shall consider the presence of organizations capable of soliciting and coordinating volunteers, identifying and serving clients, and recruiting donations of personal hygiene and cleaning products; and
     (d) Provide funding to the organizations participating in the pilot project. The funding may be used for volunteer coordination, volunteer outreach, and purchase and transport of personal hygiene and cleaning products.
     (2) The evaluation of the pilot project shall include:
     (a) Identification of the costs to establish local personal hygiene and cleaning product programs;
     (b) The need for products and services by low-income persons and the value to families in financial distress;
     (c) The cost to administer the program, including the costs of volunteer coordination and acquisition and distribution of products and supplies; and     
     (d) Opportunities and barriers to expanding the program.
     (3) The department shall report to the legislature and the office of financial management by December 1, 2010, on the pilot project and the potential for expanding the program to other communities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of thirty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, and the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, from the general fund to the department of community, trade, and economic development for the purposes of this act.