BILL REQ. #:  S-2884.1 

READ FIRST TIME 04/18/11.   

     AN ACT Relating to social services; amending RCW 74.08A.260, 74.08A.290, 74.08A.010, 74.20.040, 74.20.330, 43.215.135, 74.08.580, 66.16.041, 9.46.410, 74.04.012, 43.20A.605, and 49.60.210; adding a new section to chapter 74.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.08A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.215 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 66.24 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.185 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 74.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.09 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW; creating new sections; prescribing penalties; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that stable and sustainable employment is the key goal of the WorkFirst and temporary assistance for needy families programs. Achieving stable and sustainable employment is a developmental process that takes time, effort and engagement. In times of fiscal challenge, temporary assistance for needy families and WorkFirst resources must be invested in program elements that produce the best results for low-income families and the state of Washington.
     The legislature further finds that the core tenets that are the foundation of Washington state's WorkFirst program are: (1) Achieving stable and successful employment; (2) recognizing the critical role that participants play in their children's development, healthy growth, and promotion of family stability; (3) developing strategies founded on the principle that WorkFirst is a transitional, not long-term, program to assist families on the pathway to self-sufficiency while holding them accountable; and (4) leveraging resources outside the funding for temporary assistance for needy families is crucial to achieving WorkFirst goals. It is the intent of the legislature, using evidence-based and research-based practices, to develop a road map to self-sufficiency for WorkFirst participants and temporary assistance for needy families recipients.

Sec. 2   RCW 74.08A.260 and 2009 c 85 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each recipient shall be assessed after determination of program eligibility and before referral to job search. Assessments shall be based upon factors that are critical to obtaining employment, including but not limited to education, availability of child care, history of family violence, history of substance abuse, and other factors that affect the ability to obtain employment. Assessments may be performed by the department or by a contracted entity. The assessment shall be based on a uniform, consistent, transferable format that will be accepted by all agencies and organizations serving the recipient.
     (2) Based on the assessment, an individual responsibility plan shall be prepared that: (a) Sets forth an employment goal and a plan for maximizing the recipient's success at meeting the employment goal; (b) considers WorkFirst educational and training programs from which the recipient could benefit; (c) contains the obligation of the recipient to participate in the program by complying with the plan; (d) moves the recipient into full-time WorkFirst activities as quickly as possible; and (e) describes the services available to the recipient either during or after WorkFirst to enable the recipient to obtain and keep employment and to advance in the workplace and increase the recipient's wage earning potential over time.
     (((2))) (3) Recipients who are not engaged in work and work activities, and do not qualify for a good cause exemption under RCW 74.08A.270, shall engage in self-directed service as provided in RCW 74.08A.330.
     (((3))) (4) If a recipient refuses to engage in work and work activities required by the department, the family's grant shall be reduced by the recipient's share, and may, if the department determines it appropriate, be terminated.
     (((4))) (5) The department may waive the penalties required under subsection (((3))) (4) of this section, subject to a finding that the recipient refused to engage in work for good cause provided in RCW 74.08A.270.
     (((5) In implementing this section, the department shall assign the highest priority to the most employable clients, including adults in two-parent families and parents in single-parent families that include older preschool or school-age children to be engaged in work activities.))
     (6) In consultation with the recipient, the department or contractor shall place the recipient into a work activity that is available in the local area where the recipient resides.
     (7) Assessments conducted under this section shall include a consideration of the potential benefit to the recipient of engaging in financial literacy activities. The department shall consider the options for financial literacy activities available in the community, including information and resources available through the financial ((literacy)) education public-private partnership created under RCW 28A.300.450. The department may authorize up to ten hours of financial literacy activities as a core activity or an optional activity under WorkFirst.
     (8) From July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012, subsections (2) through (6) of this section are suspended for a recipient who is a parent or other relative personally providing care for a child under the age of six years. This suspension applies to both one and two parent families. Beginning July 1, 2012, the department shall phase in the work activity requirements that were suspended, beginning with those recipients closest to reaching the sixty-month limit of receiving temporary assistance for needy families under RCW 74.08A.010(1). The phase in shall be accomplished so that a fairly equal number of recipients required to participate in work activities are returned to those activities each month until the total number required to participate is participating by June 30, 2013. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent a recipient from participating in the WorkFirst program on a voluntary basis.
     (9)(a) A legislative task force overseeing the WorkFirst program is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
     (i) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.
     (ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.
     (iii) The governor shall appoint members representing the department of social and health services; the department of early learning; the department of commerce; the economic security department, the office of financial management, and the state board for community and technical colleges.
     (iv) The task force shall choose co-chairs, one from among the legislative members and one from among the executive branch members. The legislative members shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.
     (b) The task force shall:
     (i) Oversee the redesign of the WorkFirst program and the implementation of the statutes and budget provisions controlling the temporary assistance for needy families program;
     (ii) Determine evidence-based outcome measures for the WorkFirst program;
     (iii) Establish strategies most likely to result in the achievement of the outcome measures and the recipient's progress towards self-sufficiency;
     (iv) Develop accountability measures for the WorkFirst recipients and the state agencies responsible for their progress toward self sufficiency;
     (v) Develop and oversee, as part of the WorkFirst redesign, the implementation of a comprehensive family assessment to be used at program entry; the use of an evaluation after completion of the family assessment which is designed to identify the appropriate work preparation activities and service levels for the recipient; and the use of a predictive modeling tool to be used to identify risk factors relating to a recipient's participation in the temporary assistance for needy families program and his or her employability, and especially identifying those recipients most likely to experience long stays on the program as well as those recipients likely to experience short stays on the program;
     (vi) Improve the responsiveness of the WorkFirst program in meeting the employment needs of Washington businesses;
     (vii) Improve individual level outcomes; and
     (viii) Support families in developing skills that lead to a stable family environment and reduce intergenerational poverty.
     (c) Staff support for the task force must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.
     (d) Between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, the task force shall meet monthly to focus on the redesign of the WorkFirst program. It shall report its initial findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature no later than July 30, 2012.
     (e) From July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2014, the task force will meet quarterly. During this time period the responsibilities of the task force shall be to:
     (i) Provide ongoing review of the implementation of the WorkFirst redesign process and modify the program to ensure that it is achieving results for its clients;
     (ii) Jointly decide how the temporary assistance for needy families state and federal dollars will be spent;
     (iii) Make recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding necessary changes to the program;
     (iv) Receive regular reports from the partner agencies on the impact of program reductions;
     (v) Receive regular reports on the characteristics of the families who have been unsuccessful on the program and have lost their benefits either through sanction or the sixty month time limit;
     (vi) Review and make recommendations on the implementation of federal changes to the temporary assistance for needy families program; and
     (vii) Issue annual reports regarding its work.
     (f) During its tenure, the task force will receive regular reports on the partner agencies' progress toward the outcome goals and it will advise the governor and the legislature on child care and temporary assistance for needy families policies to improve the effectiveness of the WorkFirst program over time.
     (g) This section will expire on June 30, 2014.

Sec. 3   RCW 74.08A.290 and 1997 c 58 s 316 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) ((It is the intent of the legislature that)) On or before July 1, 2012, the department ((is authorized to)) shall engage in competitive contracting using performance-based contracts to provide all WorkFirst work activities ((authorized in chapter 58, Laws of 1997, including the job search component authorized in section 312 of this act)). All contracted services procured pursuant to this act are expressly mandated in accordance with RCW 41.06.142(3) and shall not be subject to any other provisions of that act.
     (2) The department ((may)) shall use competitive performance-based contracting to select ((which vendors will participate)) the public or private vendors to provide services in the WorkFirst program. WorkFirst services provided by partner agencies shall also be pursuant to performance-based contracts. Performance-based contracts shall be awarded based on factors that include but are not limited to the criteria listed in RCW 74.08A.410, past performance of the contractor, demonstrated ability to perform the contract effectively, financial strength of the contractor, and merits of the proposal for services submitted by the contractor. Contracts shall be made without regard to whether the contractor is a public or private entity.
     (3) The department ((may)) shall contract for an evaluation of the competitive contracting practices and outcomes to be performed by ((an independent entity with expertise in government privatization and competitive strategies)) the Washington state institute for public policy. The evaluation shall include ((quarterly)) annual progress reports to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature and to the governor, starting ((at the first quarter after the effective date of the first competitive contract and ending two years after the effective date of the first competitive contract)) June 30, 2012.
     (4) The department shall work with the WorkFirst subcabinet to develop appropriate outcomes by which the contractors performance will be measured. The outcomes shall be developed no later than November 30, 2011.
     (5) The department shall seek independent assistance in developing contracting strategies to implement this section. Assistance may include but is not limited to development of contract language, design of requests for proposal, developing full cost information on government services, evaluation of bids, and providing for equal competition between private and public entities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 74.12 RCW to read as follows:
     The department may adopt rules establishing income eligibility for temporary assistance for needy families benefits for a child, other than a foster child, who lives with a caregiver other than his or her parents. The department shall establish a sliding scale benefit standard for a child when the income of the child's caregiver is above two hundred percent but below three hundred percent of the federal poverty level based on family size. A caregiver with an income above three hundred percent of the federal poverty level shall not be eligible for temporary assistance for needy families benefits for a child, not a foster child, who is residing with that caregiver.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 74.08A RCW to read as follows:
     In determining the income eligibility of an applicant or recipient for temporary assistance for needy families or WorkFirst, the department shall not count the federal supplemental security income received by a household member.

Sec. 6   RCW 74.08A.010 and 2004 c 54 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A family that includes an adult who has received temporary assistance for needy families for sixty months after July 27, 1997, shall be ineligible for further temporary assistance for needy families assistance. For purposes of this section, "adult" includes undocumented parents receiving temporary assistance for needy families on behalf of their biological children who are United States citizens.
     (2) For the purposes of applying the rules of this section, the department shall count any month in which an adult family member received a temporary assistance for needy families cash assistance grant unless the assistance was provided when the family member was a minor child and not the head of the household or married to the head of the household.
     (3) The department shall refer recipients who require specialized assistance to appropriate department programs, crime victims' programs through the department of ((community, trade, and economic development)) commerce, or the crime victims' compensation program of the department of labor and industries.
     (4) The department may exempt a recipient and the recipient's family from the application of subsection (1) of this section by reason of hardship or if the recipient meets the family violence options of section 402(A)(7) of Title IVA of the federal social security act as amended by P.L. 104-193. ((The number of recipients and their families exempted from subsection (1) of this section for a fiscal year shall not exceed twenty percent of the average monthly number of recipients and their families to which assistance is provided under the temporary assistance for needy families program.))
     (5) The department shall not exempt a recipient and his or her family from the application of subsection (1) of this section until after the recipient has received fifty-two months of assistance under this chapter.
     (6) Beginning on October 31, 2005, the department shall provide transitional food stamp assistance for a period of five months to a household that ceases to receive temporary assistance for needy families assistance and is not in sanction status. If necessary, the department shall extend the household's food stamp certification until the end of the transition period.

Sec. 7   RCW 74.20.040 and 2007 c 143 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever the department receives an application for public assistance on behalf of a child, or the department receives an application for subsidized child care services or working connections child care services, the department or the department of early learning shall take appropriate action under the provisions of this chapter, chapter 74.20A RCW, or other appropriate statutes of this state to establish or enforce support obligations against the parent or other persons owing a duty to pay support moneys.
     (2) The secretary may accept a request for support enforcement services on behalf of persons who are not recipients of public assistance and may take appropriate action to establish or enforce support obligations against the parent or other persons owing a duty to pay moneys. Requests accepted under this subsection may be conditioned upon the payment of a fee as required by subsection (6) of this section or through regulation issued by the secretary. The secretary may establish by regulation, reasonable standards and qualifications for support enforcement services under this subsection.
     (3) The secretary may accept requests for support enforcement services from child support enforcement agencies in other states operating child support programs under Title IV-D of the social security act or from foreign countries, and may take appropriate action to establish and enforce support obligations, or to enforce subpoenas, information requests, orders for genetic testing, and collection actions issued by the other agency against the parent or other person owing a duty to pay support moneys, the parent or other person's employer, or any other person or entity properly subject to child support collection or information-gathering processes. The request shall contain and be accompanied by such information and documentation as the secretary may by rule require, and be signed by an authorized representative of the agency. The secretary may adopt rules setting forth the duration and nature of services provided under this subsection.
     (4) The department may take action to establish, enforce, and collect a support obligation, including performing related services, under this chapter and chapter 74.20A RCW, or through the attorney general or prosecuting attorney for action under chapter 26.09, 26.18, 26.20, 26.21A, or 26.26 RCW or other appropriate statutes or the common law of this state.
     (5) Whenever a support order is filed with the Washington state support registry under chapter 26.23 RCW, the department may take appropriate action under the provisions of this chapter, chapter 26.23 or 74.20A RCW, or other appropriate law of this state to establish or enforce the support obligations contained in that order against the responsible parent or other persons owing a duty to pay support moneys.
     (6) The secretary, in the case of an individual who has never received assistance under a state program funded under part A and for whom the state has collected at least five hundred dollars of support, shall impose an annual fee of twenty-five dollars for each case in which services are furnished, which shall be retained by the state from support collected on behalf of the individual, but not from the first five hundred dollars of support. The secretary may, on showing of necessity, waive or defer any such fee or cost.
     (7) Fees, due and owing, may be retained from support payments directly or collected as delinquent support moneys utilizing any of the remedies in chapter 74.20 RCW, chapter 74.20A RCW, chapter 26.21A RCW, or any other remedy at law or equity available to the department or any agencies with whom it has a cooperative or contractual arrangement to establish, enforce, or collect support moneys or support obligations.
     (8) The secretary may waive the fee, or any portion thereof, as a part of a compromise of disputed claims or may grant partial or total charge off of said fee if the secretary finds there are no available, practical, or lawful means by which said fee may be collected or to facilitate payment of the amount of delinquent support moneys or fees owed.
     (9) The secretary shall adopt rules conforming to federal laws, including but not limited to complying with section 7310 of the federal deficit reduction act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 654, and rules and regulations required to be observed in maintaining the state child support enforcement program required under Title IV-D of the federal social security act. The adoption of these rules shall be calculated to promote the cost-effective use of the agency's resources and not otherwise cause the agency to divert its resources from its essential functions.

Sec. 8   RCW 74.20.330 and 2007 c 143 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever public assistance is paid under a state program funded under Title IV-A of the federal social security act as amended by the personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act of 1996, and the federal deficit reduction act of 2005, each applicant or recipient is deemed to have made assignment to the department of any rights to a support obligation from any other person the applicant or recipient may have in his or her own behalf or in behalf of any other family member for whom the applicant or recipient is applying for or receiving public assistance, including any unpaid support obligation or support debt which has accrued at the time the assignment is made.
     (2) Payment of public assistance under a state-funded program, or a program funded under Title IV-A, IV-E, or XIX of the federal social security act as amended by the personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act of 1996 shall:
     (a) Operate as an assignment by operation of law; and
     (b) Constitute an authorization to the department to provide the assistance recipient with support enforcement services.
     (3) Payment for subsidized child care services or working connections child care services shall constitute an authorization to the department to provide the recipient of the subsidy with support enforcement services. The department is authorized to collect, but not retain, child support payments under this subsection.
     (4) Effective October 1, 2008, whenever public assistance is paid under a state program funded under Title IV-A of the federal social security act as amended by the personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act of 1996, and the federal deficit reduction act of 2005, a member of the family is deemed to have made an assignment to the state any right the family member may have, or on behalf of the family member receiving such assistance, to support from any other person, not exceeding the total amount of assistance paid to the family, which accrues during the period that the family receives assistance under the program.

Sec. 9   RCW 43.215.135 and 2010 c 273 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to promote stability and quality of care for children from low-income households. Policies for the expenditure of funds constituting the working connections child care program must be consistent with the outcome measures defined in RCW 74.08A.410 and the standards established in this section intended to promote continuity of care for children.
     (2) As a condition of receiving a child care subsidy or a working connections child care subsidy, the applicant or recipient must seek child support enforcement services from the department of social and health services, division of child support, unless the department finds that the applicant or recipient has good cause not to cooperate.
     (3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, an applicant or recipient of a child care subsidy or a working connections child care subsidy is eligible to receive that subsidy for six months before having to recertify his or her income eligibility. The six month certification provision applies only if enrollments in the child care subsidy or working connections child care program are capped.
     (4) Beginning in fiscal year 2011, for families with children enrolled in an early childhood education and assistance program, a head start program, or an early head start program, authorizations for the working connections child care subsidy shall be effective for twelve months unless a change in circumstances necessitates reauthorization sooner than twelve months.
     (((3))) (5) The department, in consultation with the department of social and health services, shall report to the legislature by September 1, 2011, with:
     (a) An analysis of the impact of the twelve-month authorization period on the stability of child care, program costs, and administrative savings; and
     (b) Recommendations for expanding the application of the twelve-month authorization period to additional populations of children in care.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   A new section is added to chapter 43.215 RCW to read as follows:
     The department and the department of social and health services shall jointly explore different options to track subsidized child care attendance, including methods using a land line or cellular telephone, a computer, a point of sale system, or some combination of these methods. The method that is chosen must interface smoothly with the payment system for subsidized child care payments. No later than December 31, 2011, both departments shall provide an update to the legislature of implementation issues and timelines.

Sec. 11   RCW 74.08.580 and 2002 c 252 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any person receiving public assistance is prohibited from using electronic benefit cards or cash obtained with electronic benefit cards:
     (a) For the purpose of participating in any of the activities authorized under chapter 9.46 RCW;
     (b) For the purpose of parimutuel wagering authorized under chapter 67.16 RCW; ((or))
     (c) To purchase lottery tickets or shares authorized under chapter 67.70 RCW;
     (d) For the purpose of participating in or purchasing any activities located in a tattoo, body piercing, or body art shop licensed under chapter 18.300 RCW;
     (e) To purchase cigarettes as defined in RCW 82.24.010 or tobacco products as defined in RCW 82.26.010;
     (f) To purchase any items regulated under Title 66 RCW; or
     (g) For the purpose of purchasing or participating in any activities in any location listed in subsection (2) of this section.
     (2) On or before January 1, 2012, the businesses listed in this subsection must disable the ability of ATM and point-of-sale machines located on their business premises to accept the electronic benefit card. The following businesses are required to comply with this mandate:
     (a) Taverns licensed under RCW 66.24.330;
     (b) Beer/wine specialty stores licensed under RCW 66.24.371;
     (c) Nightclubs licensed under RCW 66.24.600;
     (d) Contract liquor stores defined under RCW 66.04.010;
     (e) Bail bond agencies regulated under chapter 18.185 RCW;
     (f) Gambling establishments licensed under chapter 9.46 RCW;
     (g) Tattoo, body piercing, or body art shops regulated under chapter 18.300 RCW;
     (h) Adult entertainment venues with performances that contain erotic material where minors under the age of eighteen are prohibited under RCW 9.68A.150; and
     (i) Any establishments where persons under the age of eighteen are not permitted.
     (3) Only the recipient, an eligible member of the household, or the recipient's authorized representative may use an electronic benefit card or the benefit and such use shall only be for the respective benefit program purposes. The recipient shall not sell, or attempt to sell, exchange, or donate an electronic benefit card or any benefits to any other person or entity.
     (4) Violation of subsection (1) or (3) of this section constitutes a gross misdemeanor.
     (a) The department shall notify, in writing, all recipients of electronic benefit cards that any violation of subsection (1) or (3) of this section could result in civil or criminal legal proceedings and, for recipients, the forfeiture of all cash public assistance.
     (b) Whenever the department receives notice that a person has violated subsection (1) or (3) of this section, the department shall notify the person in writing that the violation could result in civil or criminal legal proceedings and, for recipients, the forfeiture of all cash public assistance.
     (c) The department shall assign a protective payee to the person receiving public assistance who violates subsection (1) or (3) of this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 12   A new section is added to chapter 66.24 RCW to read as follows:
     The board shall immediately suspend the license of a business that has been issued a license under RCW 66.24.330, 66.24.371, or 66.24.600 if the board receives information that the business has not complied with RCW 74.08.580(2). If the licensee has remained otherwise eligible to be licensed, the board may reinstate the suspended license when the business has complied with RCW 74.08.580(2).

Sec. 13   RCW 66.16.041 and 2005 c 151 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state liquor control board shall accept bank credit card and debit cards for purchases in state liquor stores, under such rules as the board may adopt. The board shall authorize contract liquor stores appointed under RCW 66.08.050 to accept bank credit cards and debit cards for liquor purchases under this title, under such rules as the board may adopt.
     (2) If a contract liquor store chooses to use credit or debit cards for liquor purchases, the board shall provide equipment and installation and maintenance of the equipment necessary to implement the use of credit and debit cards. Any equipment provided by the board to a contract liquor store for this purpose may be used only for the purchase of liquor.
     (3) It is the board's responsibility to ensure that the equipment used by the contract liquor stores to accept debit or credit cards for liquor purchases complies with the requirements of RCW 74.08.580(2) with regard to point-of-sale machines.
     (4) It is the contract liquor store's responsibility to comply with the requirements of RCW 74.08.580(2) pertaining to the use of electronic benefit transfer cards in ATM machines located on the contract liquor store premises. The board shall immediately suspend the contract it has with the contract liquor store if it receives information that the store has not complied with RCW 74.08.580(2). The board may reinstate the suspended contract when the contract liquor store has complied with RCW 74.08.580(2).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14   A new section is added to chapter 18.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The department of licensing shall immediately suspend any license under this chapter if the department receives information that the license holder has not complied with RCW 74.08.580(2). If the license holder has remained otherwise eligible to be licensed, the department may reinstate the suspended license when the holder has complied with RCW 74.08.580(2).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15   A new section is added to chapter 18.185 RCW to read as follows:
     The director shall immediately suspend any license issued under this chapter if the director receives information that the license holder has not complied with RCW 74.08.580(2). If the license holder has otherwise remained eligible to be licensed, the director may reinstate the suspended license when the holder has complied with RCW 74.08.580(2).

Sec. 16   RCW 9.46.410 and 2002 c 252 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any licensee authorized under this chapter is prohibited from allowing the use of public assistance electronic benefit cards for the purpose of participating in any of the activities authorized under this chapter.
     (2) Any licensee authorized under this chapter shall report to the department of social and health services any known violations of RCW 74.08.580.
     (3) Any licensee authorized under this chapter is required to comply with RCW 74.08.580(2). If the licensee fails to comply with RCW 74.08.580(2), its license shall be immediately suspended until it complies with RCW 74.08.580(2). If the licensee remains otherwise eligible to be licensed, the commission may reinstate the license once the licensee has complied with RCW 74.08.580(2).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 17   The legislature finds that eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of public assistance benefits should be a top priority of the department of social and health services, and this can best be reflected in a newly organized, accountable, and proactive fraud unit directly under the secretary's authority with the resources necessary to combat fraud and to ensure the confidence of the public in the critical social safety net programs it funds.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 18   A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Abuse" means any use of public assistance resources that is contrary to purposes specified in statute whether or not it is defined as a criminal act.
     (2) "Disclosable information" means public information that (a) is not exempt from disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW; and (b) does not pertain to an ongoing investigation.
     (3) "Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or herself or some other person.
     (4) "Office" means the office of fraud and accountability.
     (5) "Public assistance" or "public assistance programs" means public aid to persons in need including assistance grants, food assistance, work relief, disability lifeline benefits, temporary assistance for needy families, and, for purposes of this section, working connections child care subsidies. This definition excludes medicaid and other medical programs as defined in chapter 74.09 RCW, and fraud and abuse committed by medical providers and recipients of medicaid and other medical program services.

Sec. 19   RCW 74.04.012 and 2008 c 74 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is established ((a unit)) an office of fraud and accountability within the department for the purpose of detection, investigation, and prosecution of any act prohibited or declared to be unlawful in the public assistance programs administered by the department. The secretary will employ qualified supervisory, legal, and investigative personnel for the program. Program staff must be qualified by training and experience.
     (2) The director of the office of fraud and accountability is the head of the office and is selected by the secretary and must demonstrate suitable capacity and experience in law enforcement management, public administration, and criminal investigations. The director of the office of fraud and accountability shall:
     (a) Report directly to the secretary; and
     (b) Ensure that each citizen complaint, employee complaint, law enforcement complaint, and agency referral is assessed and, when risk of fraud or abuse is present, is fully investigated, and is referred for prosecution or recovery when there is substantial evidence of wrongdoing.
     (3) The office shall:
     (a) Conduct independent and objective investigations into allegations of fraud and abuse, make appropriate referral to law enforcement when there is substantial evidence of criminal activity, and recover overpayment whenever possible and to the greatest possible degree;
     (b) Recommend policies, procedures, and best practices designed to detect and prevent fraud and abuse, and to mitigate the risk for fraud and abuse and assure that public assistance benefits are being used for their statutorily stated goals;
     (c) Analyze cost-effective, best practice alternatives to the current cash benefit delivery system consistent with federal law to ensure that benefits are being used for their intended purposes; and
     (d) Use best practices to determine appropriate utilization and deployment of investigative resources, ensure that resources are deployed in a balanced and effective manner, and use all available methods to gather evidence necessary for proper investigation and successful prosecution.
     (4) By December 31, 2011, the office shall report to the legislature on the development of the office, identification of any barriers to meeting the stated goals of the office, and recommendations for improvements to the system and laws related to the prevention, detection, and prosecution of fraud and abuse in public assistance programs.

Sec. 20   RCW 43.20A.605 and 2009 c 549 s 5078 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary or a designee shall have full authority to administer oaths and take testimony thereunder, to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses before him or her together with all books, memoranda, papers, and other documents, articles or instruments, and to compel the disclosure by such witnesses of all facts known to them relative to the matters under investigation.
     (2) Subpoenas issued in adjudicative proceedings are governed by RCW 34.05.588(1).
     (3) Subpoenas issued in the conduct of investigations required or authorized by other statutory provisions or necessary in the enforcement of other statutory provisions shall be governed by RCW 34.05.588(2).
     (4) When a judicially approved subpoena is required by law, the secretary or designee may apply for and obtain a superior court order approving and authorizing a subpoena in advance of its issuance. The application may be made in the county where the subpoenaed person resides or is found, or in the county where the subpoenaed documents, records, or evidence are located, or in Thurston county. The application must:
     (a) State that an order is sought under this section;
     (b) Adequately specify the documents, records, evidence, or testimony; and     
     (c) Include a declaration made under oath that an investigation is being conducted for a lawfully authorized purpose related to an investigation within the department's authority and that the subpoenaed documents, records, evidence, or testimony are reasonably related to an investigation within the department's authority.     
     (5) When an application under subsection (4) of this section is made to the satisfaction of the court, the court must issue an order approving the subpoena. When a judicially approved subpoena is required by law, an order under this subsection constitutes authority of law for the agency to subpoena the documents, records, evidence, or testimony.     
     (6) The secretary or designee may seek approval and a court may issue an order under this section without prior notice to any person, including the person to whom the subpoena is directed and the person who is the subject of an investigation. An application for court approval is subject to the fee and process set forth in RCW 36.18.012(3).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 21   A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the office of fraud and accountability shall have prompt access to all individuals, records, electronic data, reports, audits, reviews, documents, and other materials available to the department of revenue, department of labor and industries, department of early learning, employment security department, department of licensing, and any other government entity that can be used to help facilitate investigations of fraud or abuse as determined necessary by the director of the office of fraud and accountability.
     (2) Information gathered by the department, the office or the fraud ombudsman shall remain confidential as required by state or federal law. Whenever information or assistance requested under subsection (1) of this section is, in the judgment of the director, unreasonably refused or not provided, the director of the office of fraud and accountability must report the circumstances to the secretary immediately.

Sec. 22   RCW 49.60.210 and 1992 c 118 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) It is an unfair practice for any employer, employment agency, labor union, or other person to discharge, expel, or otherwise discriminate against any person because he or she has opposed any practices forbidden by this chapter, or because he or she has filed a charge, testified, or assisted in any proceeding under this chapter.
     (2) It is an unfair practice for a government agency or government manager or supervisor to retaliate against a whistleblower as defined in chapter 42.40 RCW.
     (3) It is an unfair practice for any employer, employment agency, labor union, government agency, government manager, or government supervisor to discharge, expel, discriminate, or otherwise retaliate against an individual assisting with an office of fraud and accountability investigation under RCW 74.04.012, unless the individual has willfully disregarded the truth in providing information to the office.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 23   A new section is added to chapter 43.09 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The auditor shall appoint a fraud ombudsman to audit the work of the office of fraud and accountability within the department of social and health services. The ombudsman shall review the fraud investigative work done by the office including cases filed with local prosecuting authorities. The ombudsman shall also have authority to investigate citizen complaints made to the auditor's office related to fraud or abuse in any public assistance program. The department of social and health services shall provide the ombudsman with access to any relevant records it has in its possession related to a fraud or abuse investigation as determined by the fraud ombudsman, including access to electronic benefit transfer card transaction data.
     (2) The fraud ombudsman shall have access to persons within the office of fraud and accountability for purposes of interviews and evaluation.
     (3) The fraud ombudsman must submit a report summarizing its auditing activities of the office of fraud and accountability to the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 30, 2012, and biennially thereafter. The office of fraud and accountability shall assist the ombudsman to the fullest extent practicable in producing this report. The report shall contain only information consistent with the requirements of chapter 42.56 RCW and any other applicable state or federal laws, including:
     (a) A description of significant fraud or abuse, and of vulnerabilities or deficiencies relating to the prevention and detection of fraud or abuse in public assistance programs, discovered as a result of investigations completed during the reporting period;
     (b) Recommendations for improving the activities of the office of fraud and accountability with respect to the vulnerabilities or deficiencies identified under (a) of this subsection;
     (c) An identification of each significant recommendation described in the previous reports on which corrective action has, or has not, been completed;
     (d) The response from the office of fraud and accountability to any of the report findings, recommendations, or information provided in the report;
     (e) A summary of matters referred to prosecuting authorities during the reporting period and the charges filed and convictions entered during the reporting period that have resulted from referrals by the office of fraud and accountability; and
     (f) A description of the ease of access allowed by the office of fraud and accountability to all necessary data and personnel for purposes of conducting the audit.
     (4) Information gathered by department staff, the office of fraud and accountability, and the fraud ombudsman shall be safeguarded and remain confidential as required by applicable state and federal law.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 24   A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:
     No later than January 1, 2012, the department shall establish an employee incentive program pilot for those employees who work directly with participants in the WorkFirst program. The pilot shall provide for eight hours of paid annual leave per year, in addition to the annual leave the employee normally accrues, for those employees who assist participants in meeting certain outcomes to be established by the department. The outcomes established must be of significance for the participant and can include achieving unsubsidized employment or the removal of a significant barrier to unsubsidized employment. The department shall report to the legislature by January 1, 2013, on the implementation of the pilot project, including how many employees received paid annual leave, what outcomes were achieved, and the savings associated with the achievement of the outcomes.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 25   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2011.