S-1233.2
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5265
State of Washington | 66th Legislature | 2019 Regular Session |
BySenate State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Zeiger, Hunt, Bailey, and Hawkins)
READ FIRST TIME 02/22/19.
AN ACT Relating to encouraging the role of volunteerism within state government; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that volunteers play an important role in enriching our communities. This is true not only for society at large, but also within state government specifically. Volunteering not only produces positive results for the recipients of the efforts, but for the volunteers themselves, who are rewarded with new life experiences and a greater connection to their community.
The legislature further finds while many individuals from the baby boomer generation are leaving the workforce, many are still seeking way ways to contribute and make a difference in their communities, and volunteering provides one such pathway.
Therefore, the legislature intends that a thorough review be conducted that examines the existing role of volunteering within state government and considers ways to increase and expand volunteer opportunities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Serve Washington must conduct a study to review volunteer opportunities within state government. The study must include the Washington state parks and recreation commission, the department of fish and wildlife, the Washington military department, the Washington state office of the insurance commissioner, state mental hospital programs, state developmental disability programs, state litter clean-up programs, and may include any other agency or program identified by serve Washington. The study must:
(a) Evaluate volunteer utilization, including any need for additional volunteers in existing programs;
(b) Provide the costs and benefits of volunteer programs;
(c) Identify any barriers to volunteerism;
(d) Provide recommendations for ways to remove barriers to volunteerism;
(e) Provide recommendations for how the state can support agencies in growing volunteer programs that will supplement rather than replace or reduce staff or services;
(f) Identify any additional programs that could accommodate volunteers in the future; and
(g) Recommend methods for strengthening connections between state agency volunteer programs and the state's volunteer infrastructure to support volunteer recruitment, volunteer engagement, and volunteer program training needs to improve program outcomes.
(2) By July 1, 2020, serve Washington must submit a report that presents information and findings from the review conducted under this section to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives.
(3) This section expires July 1, 2020.
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