Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.15.010 and 74.15.030.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: These rules need to be revised to keep current with regulatory reform.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of Health, Facilities and Licensing; Washington State Patrol; State Fire Marshal's Office. Interagency agreements have just been completed between Office of Child Care Policy and these agencies. WAC rewrite is ongoing with the Department of Health regarding health and safety.

Process for Developing New Rule: The Department of Social and Health Services welcomes the public to take part in developing the rule(s). Anyone interested in participating should contact the staff person indicated below. After the rule(s) is drafted, the Department of Social and Health Services will file a copy with the Office of the Code Reviser with a notice of proposed rule making, and send a copy to everyone currently on the mailing list and anyone else who requests a copy.

Each region held forums for interested parties to give input to suggested WAC changes. These suggestions were brought to the School-age Subcommittee of the Child Care Coordinating Committee. A meeting of the school-age subcommittee was held March 4th in Ellensburg to discuss the suggestions. Representatives came from most regions. Providers of school-age care were well represented. The group will meeting monthly to give input on the WAC changes.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Contact persons are Karri Livingston, Regional Manager for OCCP for Region 2, 1002 North 16th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98909, (509) 454-7680; and Debra Duitch, Chairperson, 909 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 382-4960.

May 5, 1998

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit