HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 152

BYHouse Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Brekke, Winsley, Sutherland, H. Sommers, Leonard, Jacobsen, Moyer, Scott, P. King and Lewis; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)

Revising the membership and duties of the state advisory committee to the department of social and health services.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (9)

     Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Leonard, Moyer, Padden, !hb2H. Sommers, Sutherland, Wang and Winsley.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 8, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The State Advisory Committee (SAC) to the Department of Social and Health Services was created along with the department in 1971.  Its purposes were to serve in an advisory capacity to the Secretary and upon acquainting itself with departmental functions, make recommendations on changes.  In 1985, the Legislature added the duty of reviewing other departmental advisory committees.  Regional advisory committee representatives were mandated to participate in the State Advisory Committee.

SUMMARY:

In order to increase recruitment of members and improve the flexibility of choice, the membership is increased from fifteen to twenty and the length of terms is shortened from four years to three years.  Geographic balance is to be considered in appointing members.  An unexpired term is considered a full term when one-half of the regular term is served.  In addition, the requirement of a Regional Advisory Committee member's participation in the State Advisory Committee is deleted.  The Committee has the additional duty of encouraging that each Regional Committee send a member to the State Committee meetings to foster communication between the Regional Committee, the State Committee and department headquarters.  The exclusion of federally-mandated advisory committees from the duty to encourage networking among representatives of program-specific advisory committees is deleted.  The duty to review other departmental advisory committees is revised to include federal and state mandated committees and to be completed by January 1, 1989.  The new function of having the committee serve to encourage public awareness and understanding of the department and its programs and services is added.

Fiscal Note:    Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Mr. Jule Sugarman, Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     The increase in membership and shortening of term will allow additional flexibility in choosing members.  The regional representatives are unable to adequately serve a dual role because of time constraints.  The review function, as originally legislated, only covered four out of thirty-one to thirty-five advisory committees and this had a negligible impact.  It is important that the committee encourage public awareness and understanding of the department.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.