wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 6160 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that requiring state agencies to report to the legislature is an important method of providing information and keeping the legislature informed on the implementation and impacts of legislation. Some reports provide information that is no longer relevant or useful to the legislature, which can be discerned by the lack of interest in the report. There are other reports that are redundant as the information is provided through other means. In addition, preparing reports is time consuming, and there may be better, more efficient mechanisms for sharing information with legislators as well as the public, such as posting the information on agency websites. Finally, some reports are required on a more frequent basis than is necessary, as the information does not change to an extent that merits the increased frequency.
In order to improve agency efficiency and still ensure that information is publicly available and provided to the legislature as needed, it is the legislature's intent to eliminate reports that no longer serve a relevant purpose, change reporting frequency where warranted, and provide alternative mechanisms in place of submitting reports where appropriate.
The rules adopted under RCW 70A.535.030 and 70A.535.025 may allow the generation of credits from activities that support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation in Washington, including but not limited to:
Carbon capture and sequestration projects, including but not limited to:
Innovative crude oil production projects that include carbon capture and sequestration;
Project-based refinery greenhouse gas mitigation including, but not limited to, process improvements, renewable hydrogen use, and carbon capture and sequestration; or
Direct air capture projects;
Investments and activities that support deployment of machinery and equipment used to produce gaseous and liquid fuels from nonfossil feedstocks, and derivatives thereof;
The fueling of battery or fuel cell electric vehicles by a commercial, nonprofit, or public entity that is not an electric utility, which may include, but is not limited to, the fueling of vehicles using electricity certified by the department to have a carbon intensity of zero; and
The use of smart vehicle charging technology that results in the fueling of an electric vehicle during times when the carbon intensity of grid electricity is comparatively low.
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The rules adopted under RCW 70A.535.030 and 70A.535.025 must allow the generation of credits based on capacity for zero emission vehicle refueling infrastructure, including DC fast charging infrastructure and hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
The rules adopted under RCW 70A.535.030 and 70A.535.025 may allow the generation of credits from the provision of low carbon fuel infrastructure not specified in (a) of this subsection.
The rules adopted under RCW 70A.535.030 and 70A.535.025 must allow the generation of credits from state transportation investments funded in an omnibus transportation appropriations act for activities and projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize the transportation sector. These include, but are not limited to: (a) Electrical grid and hydrogen fueling infrastructure investments; (b) ferry operating and capital investments; (c) electrification of the state ferry fleet; (d) alternative fuel vehicle rebate programs; (e) transit grants; (f) infrastructure and other costs associated with the adoption of alternative fuel use by transit agencies; (g) bike and pedestrian grant programs and other activities; (h) complete streets and safe walking grants and allocations; (i) rail funding; and (j) multimodal investments.
The rules adopted by the department may establish limits for the number of credits that may be earned each year by persons participating in the program for some or all of the activities specified in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. The department must limit the number of credits that may be earned each year under subsection (3) of this section to 10 percent of the total program credits. Any limits established under this subsection must take into consideration the return on investment required in order for an activity specified in subsection (2) of this section to be financially viable.
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In coordination with the department, the Washington state department of transportation must immediately begin work on identifying the amount of credit revenues likely to be generated under subsection (3) of this section from the state transportation investments funded in an omnibus transportation appropriations act, including the move ahead WA transportation package. It is the intent of the legislature that these credits will be maximized to allow further investment in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize the transportation sector including, but not limited to, additional funding in future years, for ferry electrification beyond four new hybrid electric vessels, active transportation, and transit programs and projects.
Beginning November 1, 2022, and every other year thereafter, the Washington state department of transportation must present a detailed projection of the credit revenues generated under subsection (3) of this section and a preferred reinvestment strategy for the revenues for the following 10-year time period to the joint transportation committee.
By September 1st of each year, each covered agency must annually update the council on the development and implementation of environmental justice in agency strategic plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.040, budgeting and funding criteria for making budgeting and funding decisions pursuant to RCW 70A.02.080, and community engagement plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.050.
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Beginning in 2024, as part of each covered agency's annual update to the council under subsection (1) of this section, each covered agency must include updates on the agency's implementation status with respect to the environmental justice assessments under RCW 70A.02.060.
By November 30th of each year , each covered agency must publish or update a dashboard report, in a uniform dashboard format on the office of financial management's website, describing the agency's progress on:
Incorporating environmental justice in its strategic plan;
The obligations of agencies relating to budgets and funding under RCW 70A.02.080; and
Its environmental justice assessments of proposed significant agency actions, including logistical metrics related to covered agency completion of environmental justice assessments.
Each covered agency must file a notice with the office of financial management of significant agency actions for which the agency is initiating an environmental justice assessment under RCW 70A.02.060. The office of financial management must prepare a list of all filings received from covered agencies each week and must post the list on its website and make it available to any interested parties. The list of filings must include a brief description of the significant agency action and the methods for providing public comment for agency consideration as part of the environmental justice assessment.
Each covered agency must identify overburdened communities, as required by RCW 70A.02.050, in such a way that the performance effectiveness of the duties created by this chapter can be measured, including the effectiveness of environmental justice assessments required by RCW 70A.02.060. Each covered agency may identify and prioritize overburdened communities as needed to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.
The environmental justice council is established to advise covered agencies on incorporating environmental justice into agency activities.
The council consists of 14 members, except as provided in RCW 70A.65.040(3), appointed by the governor. The councilmembers must be persons who are well-informed regarding and committed to the principles of environmental justice and who, to the greatest extent practicable, represent diversity in race, ethnicity, age, and gender, urban and rural areas, and different regions of the state. The members of the council shall elect two members to serve as cochairs for two-year terms. The council must include:
Seven community representatives, including one youth representative, the nominations of which are based upon applied and demonstrated work and focus on environmental justice or a related field, such as racial or economic justice, and accountability to vulnerable populations and overburdened communities;
The youth representative must be between the ages of 18 and 25 at the time of appointment;
The youth representative serves a two-year term. All other community representatives serve four-year terms, with six representatives initially being appointed to four-year terms and five being initially appointed to two-year terms, after which they will be appointed to four-year terms;
Two members representing tribal communities, one from eastern Washington and one from western Washington, appointed by the governor, plus two tribal members as specified in RCW 70A.65.040. The governor shall solicit and consider nominees from each of the federally recognized tribes in Washington state. The governor shall collaborate with federally recognized tribes on the selection of tribal representatives. The tribal representatives serve four-year terms. One representative must be initially appointed for a four-year term. The other representative must be initially appointed for a two-year term, after which, that representative must be appointed for a four-year term;
Two representatives who are environmental justice practitioners or academics to serve as environmental justice experts, the nominations of which are based upon applied and demonstrated work and focus on environmental justice;
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One representative of a business that is regulated by a covered agency and whose ordinary business conditions are significantly affected by the actions of at least one other covered agency; and
One representative who is a member or officer of a union representing workers in the building and construction trades; and
One representative at large, the nomination of which is based upon applied and demonstrated work and focus on environmental justice.
Covered agencies shall serve as nonvoting, ex officio liaisons to the council. Each covered agency must identify an executive team level staff person to participate on behalf of the agency.
Nongovernmental members of the council must be compensated and reimbursed in accordance with RCW 43.03.050, 43.03.060, and 43.03.220.
The department of health must:
Hire a manager who is responsible for overseeing all staffing and administrative duties in support of the council; and
Provide all administrative and staff support for the council.
In collaboration with the office of equity, the office of financial management, the council, and covered agencies, the department of health must:
Establish standards for the collection, analysis, and reporting of disaggregated data as it pertains to tracking population level outcomes of communities;
Create statewide and agency-specific process and outcome measures to show performance:
Using outcome-based methodology to determine the effectiveness of agency programs and services on reducing environmental disparities; and
Taking into consideration community feedback from the council on whether the performance measures established accurately measure the effectiveness of covered agency programs and services in the communities served; and
Create an online performance dashboard to publish performance measures and outcomes as referenced in RCW 70A.02.090 for the state and each covered agency.
The department of health must coordinate with Washington technology solutions to address cybersecurity and data protection for all data collected by the department.
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With input and assistance from the council, the department of health must establish an interagency work group to assist covered agencies in incorporating environmental justice into agency decision making. The work group must include staff from each covered agency directed to implement environmental justice provisions under this chapter and may include members from the council. The department of health shall provide assistance to the interagency work group by:
Facilitating information sharing among covered agencies on environmental justice issues and between agencies and the council;
Developing and providing assessment tools for covered agencies to use in the development and evaluation of agency programs, services, policies, and budgets;
Providing technical assistance and compiling and creating resources for covered agencies to use; and
Training covered agency staff on effectively using data and tools for environmental justice assessments.
The duties of the interagency work group include:
Providing technical assistance to support agency compliance with the implementation of environmental justice into their strategic plans, environmental justice obligations for budgeting and funding criteria and decisions, environmental justice assessments, and community engagement plans;
Assisting the council in developing a suggested schedule and timeline for sequencing the types of: (A) Funding and expenditure decisions subject to rules; and (B) criteria incorporating environmental justice principles;
Identifying other policies, priorities, and projects for the council's review and guidance development;
Identifying goals and metrics that the council may use to assess agency performance in meeting the requirements of chapter 314, Laws of 2021 for purposes of communicating progress to the public, the governor, and the legislature; and
Developing the guidance under subsection (9)(c) of this section in coordination with the council.
The council has the following powers and duties:
To provide a forum for the public to:
Provide written or oral testimony on their environmental justice concerns;
Assist the council in understanding environmental justice priorities across the state in order to develop council recommendations to agencies for issues to prioritize; and
Identify which agencies to contact with their specific environmental justice concerns and questions;
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The council shall work in an iterative fashion with the interagency work group to develop guidance for environmental justice implementation into covered agency strategic plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.040, environmental justice assessments pursuant to RCW 70A.02.060, budgeting and funding criteria for making budgeting and funding decisions pursuant to RCW 70A.02.080, and community engagement plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.050;
The council and interagency work group shall regularly update its guidance;
In consultation with the interagency work group, the council:
Shall provide guidance to covered agencies on developing environmental justice assessments pursuant to RCW 70A.02.060 for significant agency actions;
Shall make recommendations to covered agencies on which agency actions may cause environmental harm or may affect the equitable distribution of environmental benefits to an overburdened community or a vulnerable population and therefore should be considered significant agency actions that require an environmental justice assessment under RCW 70A.02.060;
Shall make recommendations to covered agencies:
(A) On the identification and prioritization of overburdened communities under this chapter; and
(B) Related to the use by covered agencies of the environmental and health disparities map in agency efforts to identify and prioritize overburdened communities;
iv. May make recommendations to a covered agency on the timing and sequencing of a covered agencies' efforts to implement RCW 70A.02.040 through 70A.02.080; and
v. May make recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding ways to improve agency compliance with the requirements of this chapter;
d. By February 28th of each even-numbered year, and with consideration of the information shared on November 30th each year in covered agencies' annual updates to the council required under RCW 70A.02.090, the council must:
i. Evaluate the progress of each agency in applying council guidance, and update guidance as needed; and
ii. Communicate each covered agency's progress to the public, the governor, and the legislature. This communication is not required to be a report and may take the form of a presentation or other format that communicates the progress of the state and its agencies in meeting the state's environmental justice goals in compliance with chapter 314, Laws of 2021, and summarizing the work of the council pursuant to (a) through (d) of this subsection, and subsection (11) of this section; and
e. To fulfill the responsibilities established for the council in RCW 70A.65.040.
By November 30, 2023, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the council must submit a report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate on:
The council's recommendations to covered agencies on the identification of significant agency actions requiring an environmental justice assessment under subsection (9)(c)(ii) of this section;
The summary of covered agency progress reports provided to the council under RCW 70A.02.090(1), including the status of agency plans for performing environmental justice assessments required by RCW 70A.02.060; and
Guidance for environmental justice implementation into covered agency strategic plans, environmental justice assessments, budgeting and funding criteria, and community engagement plans under subsection (9)(c)(i) of this section.
The council may:
Review incorporation of environmental justice implementation plans into covered agency strategic plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.040, environmental justice assessments pursuant to RCW 70A.02.060, budgeting and funding criteria for making budgeting and funding decisions pursuant to RCW 70A.02.080, and community engagement plans pursuant to RCW 70A.02.050;
Make recommendations for amendments to this chapter or other legislation to promote and achieve the environmental justice goals of the state;
Review existing laws and make recommendations for amendments that will further environmental justice;
Recommend to specific agencies that they create environmental justice-focused, agency-requested legislation;
Provide requested assistance to state agencies other than covered agencies that wish to incorporate environmental justice principles into agency activities; and
Recommend funding strategies and allocations to build capacity in vulnerable populations and overburdened communities to address environmental justice.
The role of the council is purely advisory and council decisions are not binding on an agency, individual, or organization.
The department of health must convene the first meeting of the council by January 1, 2022.
All council meetings are subject to the open public meetings requirements of chapter 42.30 RCW and a public comment period must be provided at every meeting of the council.
The department shall prepare, post on the department website, and submit to the appropriate committees of the legislature an annual report that identifies all distributions of moneys from the accounts created in RCW 70A.65.240 through 70A.65.280.
The report must identify, at a minimum, the recipient of the funding, the amount of the funding, the purpose of the funding, the actual end result or use of the funding, whether the project that received the funding produced any verifiable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions or other long-term impact to emissions, and if so, the quantity of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the cost per carbon dioxide equivalent metric ton of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a comparison to other greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects in order to facilitate the development of cost-benefit ratios for greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects.
The department shall require by rule that recipients of funds from the accounts created in RCW 70A.65.240 through 70A.65.280 report to the department, in a form and manner prescribed by the department, the information required for the department to carry out the department's duties established in this section.
The department shall update its website with the information described in subsection (2) of this section as appropriate but no less frequently than once per calendar year.
The department shall submit its report to the appropriate committees of the legislature with the information described in subsection (2) of this section no later than December 31st of each year.
By December 1st of every odd-numbered year beginning in the first year after there have been charter schools operating for a full school year, the state board of education, in collaboration with the commission, must issue a report on the performance of the state's charter schools during the preceding school year to the governor, the legislature, and the public at large.
The report must be based on the reports submitted by each authorizer as well as any additional relevant data compiled by the state board of education. The report must include a comparison of the performance of charter school students with the performance of academically, ethnically, and economically comparable groups of students in other public schools. In addition, the annual report must include the state board of education's assessment of the successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in meeting the purposes of this chapter, including the board's assessment of the sufficiency of funding for charter schools, the efficacy of the formula for authorizer funding, and any suggested changes in state law or policy necessary to strengthen the state's charter schools.
Together with the issuance of the annual report following the fifth year after there have been charter schools operating for a full school year, the state board of education, in collaboration with the commission, shall submit a recommendation regarding whether or not the legislature should authorize the establishment of additional charter public schools.
The department shall develop, and shall review biennially and revise as necessary, a state hazardous waste management plan. The plan shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following elements:
A state inventory and assessment of the capacity of existing facilities to treat, store, dispose, or otherwise manage hazardous waste;
A forecast of future hazardous waste generation;
A description of the plan or program required by RCW 70A.300.270 to promote the waste management priorities established in RCW 70A.300.260;
Siting criteria as appropriate for hazardous waste management facilities, including such criteria as may be appropriate for the designation of eligible zones for designated zone facilities. However, these criteria shall not prevent the continued operation, at or below the present level of waste management activity, of existing facilities on the basis of their location in areas other than those designated as eligible zones pursuant to RCW 70A.300.370;
Siting policies as deemed appropriate by the department; and
A plan or program to provide appropriate public information and education relating to hazardous waste management. The department shall ensure to the maximum degree practical that these plans or programs are coordinated with public education programs carried out by local government under RCW 70A.300.350.
The department shall seek, encourage, and assist participation in the development, revision, and implementation of the state hazardous waste management plan by interested citizens, local government, business and industry, environmental groups, and other entities as appropriate.
Siting criteria shall be completed by December 31, 1986. Other plan components listed in subsection (1) of this section shall be completed by June 30, 1987.
The department shall incorporate into the state hazardous waste management plan those elements of the local hazardous waste management plans that it deems necessary to assure effective and coordinated programs throughout the state.
To support the development of new water supplies in the Columbia river and to protect instream flow, the department of ecology shall work with all interested parties, including interested county legislative authorities and watershed planning groups in the Columbia river basin, and affected tribal governments, to develop a Columbia river water supply inventory and a long-term water supply and demand forecast. The inventory must include:
A list of conservation projects that have been implemented under this chapter and the amount of water conservation they have achieved; and
A list of potential water supply and storage projects in the Columbia river basin, including estimates of:
Cost per acre-foot;
Benefit to fish and other instream needs;
Benefit to out-of-stream needs; and
Environmental and cultural impacts.
The department of ecology shall complete the first Columbia river water supply inventory by November 15, 2006, and shall update the inventory biennially thereafter.
The department of ecology shall complete the first Columbia river long-term water supply and demand forecast by November 15, 2006, and shall update the report every five years thereafter.
By September 1, 2026, and by September 1st of each successive even-numbered year thereafter, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the department, in consultation with the United States bureau of reclamation, the Yakama Nation, Yakima river basin local governments, and key basin stakeholders, shall provide a Yakima river basin integrated water resource management plan implementation status report to the legislature and to the governor that includes: A description of measures that have been funded and implemented in the Yakima river basin and their effectiveness in meeting the objectives of chapter 11, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess., a project funding list that represents the state's percentage cost share to implement the integrated plan measures for the current biennium and cost estimates for subsequent biennia, a description of progress toward concurrent realization of the integrated plan's fish passage, watershed enhancement, and water supply goals, and an annual summary of all associated costs to develop and implement projects within the framework of the integrated water resource management plan for the Yakima river basin.
The status report required in this section for December 1, 2021, must include a statement of progress in achieving the water supply facility permit and funding milestone, as defined in RCW 90.38.010. If, after a good faith effort to achieve the water supply facility permit and funding milestone, it appears that the milestone cannot or may not be met, the department, in consultation with the United States bureau of reclamation, the Yakama Nation, Yakima river basin local governments, and key basin stakeholders, shall provide a detailed description of the impediments to achieving the milestone, describe the strategy for resolving the identified impediments, and, if necessary, recommend modifications to the milestone.
This section expires December 31, 2045.
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The department's public transportation division shall establish a green transportation capital grant program. The purpose of the grant program is to aid any transit authority in funding cost-effective capital projects to reduce the carbon intensity of the Washington transportation system, examples of which include: Electrification of vehicle fleets, including battery and fuel cell electric vehicles; modification or replacement of capital facilities in order to facilitate fleet electrification and/or hydrogen refueling; necessary upgrades to electrical transmission and distribution systems; and construction of charging and fueling stations. The department's public transportation division shall identify projects and shall submit a prioritized list of all projects requesting funding to the legislature and the office of financial management by November 1st of each even-numbered year.
The department's public transportation division shall select projects based on a competitive process that considers the following criteria:
The cost-effectiveness of the reductions in carbon emissions provided by the project; and
The benefit provided to transitioning the entire state to a transportation system with lower carbon intensity.
During the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia, the department must incorporate principles into the grant selection process with the goal of increasing the distribution of funding to communities based on addressing environmental harms and providing environmental benefits for overburdened communities, as defined in RCW 70A.02.010, and vulnerable populations.
The department's public transportation division must establish an advisory committee to assist in identifying projects under subsection (1) of this section. The advisory committee must include representatives from the department of ecology, the department of commerce, the utilities and transportation commission, and at least one transit authority.
In order to receive green transportation capital grant program funding for a project, a transit authority must provide matching funding at the level deemed appropriate by the department.
The department's public transportation division must report annually to the transportation committees of the legislature on the status of any grant projects funded by the program created under this section.
For purposes of this section, "transit authority" means a city transit system under RCW 35.58.2721 or chapter 35.95A RCW, a county public transportation authority under chapter 36.57 RCW, a metropolitan municipal corporation transit system under chapter 36.56 RCW, a public transportation benefit area under chapter 36.57A RCW, an unincorporated transportation benefit area under RCW 36.57.100, a regional transit authority under chapter 81.112 RCW, or any special purpose district formed to operate a public transportation system.
During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, the department may provide up to 20 percent of the total green transportation capital grant program funding for zero emissions capital transition planning projects. During the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium, the department may provide up to 10 percent of the total green transportation capital grant program funding for zero emissions capital transition planning projects. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, the department may provide up to five percent of the total green transportation capital grant program funding for zero emissions capital transition planning projects.
The council shall report to the legislature by December 1, 2026, and each year thereafter, on the impacts of chapter 323, Laws of 2024 on degree completion outcomes, including any increase in the number of students using the extended eligibility provided under chapter 323, Laws of 2024.
The authority shall provide flexibility to encourage licensed or certified community behavioral health agencies to subcontract with an adequate, culturally competent, and qualified children's mental health provider network.
To the extent that funds are specifically appropriated for this purpose or that nonstate funds are available, a children's mental health evidence-based practice institute shall be established at the University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The institute shall closely collaborate with entities currently engaged in evaluating and promoting the use of evidence-based, research‑based, promising, or consensus‑based practices in children's mental health treatment, including but not limited to the University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Seattle children's hospital, the University of Washington school of nursing, the University of Washington school of social work, and the Washington state institute for public policy. To ensure that funds appropriated are used to the greatest extent possible for their intended purpose, the University of Washington's indirect costs of administration shall not exceed ten percent of appropriated funding. The institute shall:
Improve the implementation of evidence-based and research‑based practices by providing sustained and effective training and consultation to licensed children's mental health providers and child‑serving agencies who are implementing evidence‑based or researched-based practices for treatment of children's emotional or behavioral disorders, or who are interested in adapting these practices to better serve ethnically or culturally diverse children. Efforts under this subsection should include a focus on appropriate oversight of implementation of evidence‑based practices to ensure fidelity to these practices and thereby achieve positive outcomes;
Continue the successful implementation of the "partnerships for success" model by consulting with communities so they may select, implement, and continually evaluate the success of evidence-based practices that are relevant to the needs of children, youth, and families in their community;
Partner with youth, family members, family advocacy, and culturally competent provider organizations to develop a series of information sessions, literature, and online resources for families to become informed and engaged in evidence-based and research‑based practices;
Participate in the identification of outcome-based performance measures under RCW 71.36.025(2) and partner in a statewide effort to implement statewide outcomes monitoring and quality improvement processes; and
Serve as a statewide resource to the authority and other entities on child and adolescent evidence-based, research-based, promising, or consensus‑based practices for children's mental health treatment, maintaining a working knowledge through ongoing review of academic and professional literature, and knowledge of other evidence-based practice implementation efforts in Washington and other states.
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To the extent that funds are specifically appropriated for this purpose, the authority in collaboration with the University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and Seattle children's hospital shall implement the following access lines:
The partnership access line to support primary care providers in the assessment and provision of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of children with mental and behavioral health disorders and track outcomes of this program;
The partnership access line for moms to support obstetricians, pediatricians, primary care providers, mental health professionals, and other health care professionals providing care to pregnant women and new mothers through same-day telephone consultations in the assessment and provision of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of depression in pregnant women and new mothers;
The mental health referral service for children and teens to facilitate referrals to children's mental health services and other resources for parents and guardians with concerns related to the mental health of the parent or guardian's child. Facilitation activities include assessing the level of services needed by the child; within an average of seven days from call intake processing with a parent or guardian, identifying mental health professionals who are in-network with the child's health care coverage who are accepting new patients and taking appointments; coordinating contact between the parent or guardian and the mental health professional; and providing postreferral reviews to determine if the child has outstanding needs. In conducting its referral activities, the program shall collaborate with existing databases and resources to identify in-network mental health professionals; and
The first approach skills training program to provide brief, evidence-based behavioral therapy for youth and families with common mental health concerns.
The program activities described in (a) of this subsection shall be designed to promote more accurate diagnoses and treatment through timely case consultation between primary care providers and child psychiatric specialists, and focused educational learning collaboratives with primary care providers.
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The authority shall enforce requirements in managed care contracts to ensure care coordination and network adequacy issues are addressed in order to remove barriers to access to mental health services .
It is the intent of the legislature that behavioral health medicaid rate increases be grounded with the rate-setting process for the provider type or practice setting.
In implementing a rate increase funded by the legislature, including rate increases provided through managed care organizations, the authority must work with the actuaries responsible for establishing medicaid rates for behavioral health services and managed care organizations responsible for distributing funds to behavioral health services to assure that appropriate adjustments are made to the wraparound with intensive services case rate, as well as any other behavioral health services in which a case rate is used.
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The authority shall establish a process for verifying that funds appropriated in the omnibus operating appropriations act for targeted behavioral health provider rate increases, including rate increases provided through managed care organizations, are used for the objectives stated in the appropriation.
The process must: (i) Establish which behavioral health provider types the funds are intended for; (ii) include transparency and accountability mechanisms to demonstrate that appropriated funds for targeted behavioral health provider rate increases are passed through, in the manner intended, to the behavioral health providers who are the subject of the funds appropriated for targeted behavioral health provider rate increases; (iii) include actuarial information provided to managed care organizations to ensure the funds directed to behavioral health providers have been appropriately allocated and accounted for; and (iv) include the participation of managed care organizations, behavioral health administrative services organizations, providers, and provider networks that are the subject of the targeted behavioral health provider rate increases. The process must include a method for determining if the funds have increased access to the behavioral health services offered by the behavioral health providers who are the subject of the targeted provider rate increases.
The process may:
Include a quantitative method for determining if the funds have increased access to behavioral health services offered by the behavioral health providers who received the targeted provider rate increases;
Ensure the viability of pass-through payments in a capitated rate methodology; and
Ensure that medicaid rate increases account for the impact of value-based contracting on provider reimbursements and implementations of pass-through payments.
Subject to amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the health care authority must issue a request for proposal and contract with an entity to develop, implement, test, and evaluate guidance and health interventions for health care providers and patients at risk for developing serious complications due to cannabis consumption who are seeking care in emergency departments, primary care settings, behavioral health settings, other health care facilities, and for use by state poison control and recovery hotlines to promote cannabis use reduction and cessation for the following populations:
Youth and adults at high risk of adverse mental health impacts from use of high THC cannabis;
Youth and adults who have experienced a cannabis-induced first episode psychosis but do not have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder; and
Youth and adults who have a diagnosed psychotic disorder and use cannabis.
2.
A contract entered under the authorization in this section must include, in the scope of work, data gathering on adverse health impacts occurring in Washington associated with consumption of high THC cannabis.
(1) The public employees' benefits board shall study all matters connected with the provision of health care coverage, life insurance, liability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and disability income insurance or any of, or a combination of, the enumerated types of insurance for employees and their dependents on the best basis possible with relation both to the welfare of the employees and to the state. However, liability insurance shall not be made available to dependents.
The authority, in collaboration with the department of health, department of social and health services, health carriers, local public health jurisdictions, children's health care providers including pediatricians, family practitioners, advanced practice registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and pediatric subspecialists, community and migrant health centers, parents, and other purchasers, shall establish a concise set of explicit performance measures that can indicate whether children enrolled in the program are receiving health care through an established and effective medical home, and whether the overall health of enrolled children is improving. Such indicators may include, but are not limited to:
Childhood immunization rates;
Well child care utilization rates, including the use of behavioral and oral health screening, and validated, structured developmental screens using tools, that are consistent with nationally accepted pediatric guidelines and recommended administration schedule, once funding is specifically appropriated for this purpose;
Care management for children with chronic illnesses;
Emergency room utilization;
Visual acuity and eye health;
Preventive oral health service utilization; and
Children's mental health status. In defining these measures the authority shall be guided by the measures provided in RCW 71.36.025.
Performance measures and targets for each performance measure must be established and monitored each biennium, with a goal of achieving measurable, improved health outcomes for the children of Washington state each biennium.
To establish and administer RCW 74.09.886, the authority shall:
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(A) Assure the availability of access to eligibility determinations services for community support services benefits and permanent supportive housing benefits;
(B) Verify that persons meet the eligibility standards of RCW 74.09.886(2);
(C) Coordinate enrollment in medical assistance programs for persons who meet the eligibility standards of RCW 74.09.886(2), except for actual enrollment in a medical assistance program under this chapter; and
(D) Coordinate with a network of community support services providers to arrange with local housing providers for the placement of an eligible person in permanent supportive housing appropriate to the person's needs and assure that community support services are provided to the person by a community support services provider.
ii. The primary role of the coordinating entity or entities is administrative and operational, while the authority shall establish the general policy parameters for the work of the coordinating entity or entities.
iii. In selecting the coordinating entity or entities, the authority shall: Choose one or more organizations that are capable of coordinating access to both community support services and permanent supportive housing services to eligible persons under RCW 74.09.886; and select no more than one coordinating entity per region which is served by medicaid managed care organizations;
b. Report to the office for the ongoing monitoring of the program; and
c. Adopt any rules necessary to implement the program.
The authority shall establish a work group to provide feedback to the agency on its foundational community supports program as it aligns with the work of the housing benefit. The work group may include representatives of state agencies, behavioral health administrative services organizations, the coordinating entity or entities, and contracted agencies providing foundational community supports services. Topics may include, but are not limited to, best practices in eligibility screening processes and case rate billing for foundational community supports housing, regional cost differentials, costs consistent with specialized needs, improved data access and data sharing with foundational community supports providers, and requirements related to the use of a common practice tool among community support services providers to integrate social determinants of health into service delivery. The authority, in consultation with foundational community supports providers and their stakeholders, shall engage each region on case management tools and programs, evaluate effectiveness, and inform the appropriate committees of the legislature on the use of case management tools. Case management shall also be a regular item of engagement in the work group. The authority shall convene the work group at least once each quarter and may expand upon, but not duplicate, existing work groups or advisory councils at the authority or other state agencies.
To support the goals of the program and the goals of other statewide initiatives to identify and address social needs, including efforts within the 1115 waiver renewal to advance health equity and health-related supports, the authority shall work with the office and the department of social and health services to research, identify, and implement statewide universal measures to identify and consider social determinants of health domains, including housing, food security, transportation, financial strain, and interpersonal safety. The authority shall select an accredited or nationally vetted tool, including criteria for prioritization, for the community support services provider to use when making determinations about housing options and other support services to offer individuals eligible for the program. This screening and prioritization process may not exclude clients transitioning from inpatient or other behavioral health residential treatment settings. The authority shall inform the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature on progress to this end.
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The authority and the department may seek and accept funds from private and federal sources to support the purposes of the program.
The authority shall seek approval from the federal department of health and human services to:
Receive federal matching funds for administrative costs and services provided under the program to persons enrolled in medicaid;
Align the eligibility and benefit standards of the foundational community supports program established pursuant to the waiver, entitled "medicaid transformation project" and initially approved November 2017, between the authority and the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services, as amended and reauthorized, with the standards of the program, including extending the duration of the benefits under the foundational community supports program to not less than 12 months; and
Implement a medical and psychiatric respite care benefit for certain persons enrolled in medicaid.
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By December 1, 2022, the authority and the office shall report to the governor and the legislature on preparedness for the first year of program implementation, including the estimated enrollment, estimated program costs, estimated supportive housing unit availability, funding availability for the program from all sources, efforts to improve billing and administrative burdens for foundational community supports providers, efforts to streamline continuity of care and system connection for persons who are potentially eligible for foundational community supports, and any statutory or budgetary needs to successfully implement the first year of the program.
By December 1, 2023, the authority and the office shall report to the governor and the legislature on the progress of the first year of program implementation and preparedness for the second year of program implementation.
By December 1, 2024, the authority and the office shall report to the governor and the legislature on the progress of the first two years of program implementation and preparedness for ongoing housing acquisition and development.
By December 1, 2026, the authority and the office shall report to the governor and the legislature on the full implementation of the program, including the number of persons served by the program, available permanent supportive housing units, estimated unmet demand for the program, ongoing funding requirements for the program, and funding availability for the program from all sources.
The legislature recognizes the importance of providing the greatest diversity of habitats, particularly riparian, wetland, and old growth habitats, and of assuring the greatest diversity of species within those habitats for the survival and reproduction of enough individuals to maintain the native wildlife of Washington forestlands. The legislature also recognizes the importance of long-term habitat productivity for natural and wild fish, for the protection of hatchery water supplies, and for the protection of water quality and quantity to meet the needs of people, fish, and wildlife. The legislature recognizes the importance of maintaining and enhancing fish and wildlife habitats capable of sustaining the commercial and noncommercial uses of fish and wildlife. The legislature further recognizes the importance of the continued growth and development of the state's forest products industry which has a vital stake in the long-term productivity of both the public and private forestland base.
The development of a landscape planning system would help achieve these goals. Landowners and resource managers should be provided incentives to voluntarily develop long-term multispecies landscape management plans that will provide protection to public resources. Because landscape planning represents a departure from the use of standard baseline rules and may result in unintended consequences to both the affected habitats and to a landowner's economic interests, the legislature desires to establish up to seven experimental pilot programs to gain experience with landscape planning that may prove useful in fashioning legislation of a more general application.
Until December 31, 2000, the department in cooperation with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when relating to water quality protection, is granted authority to select not more than seven pilot projects for the purpose of developing individual landowner multispecies landscape management plans.
Pilot project participants must be selected by the department in cooperation with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when relating to water quality protection, no later than October 1, 1997.
The number and the location of the pilot projects are to be determined by the department in cooperation with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when relating to water quality protection, and should be selected on the basis of risk to the habitat and species, variety and importance of species and habitats in the planning area, geographic distribution, surrounding ownership, other ongoing landscape and watershed planning activities in the area, potential benefits to water quantity and quality, financial and staffing capabilities of participants, and other factors that will contribute to the creation of landowner multispecies landscape planning efforts.
Each pilot project shall have a landscape management plan with the following elements:
An identification of public resources selected for coverage under the plan and measurable objectives for the protection of the selected public resources;
A termination date of not later than 2050;
A general description of the planning area including its geographic location, physical and biological features, habitats, and species known to be present;
An identification of the existing forest practices rules that will not apply during the term of the plan;
Proposed habitat management strategies or prescriptions;
A projection of the habitat conditions likely to result from the implementation of the specified management strategies or prescriptions;
An assessment of habitat requirements and the current habitat conditions of representative species included in the plan;
An assessment of potential or likely impacts to representative species resulting from the prescribed forest practices;
ix. A description of the anticipated benefits to those species or other species as a result of plan implementation;
Reporting requirements including a schedule for review of the plan's performance in meeting its objectives;
Conditions under which a plan may be modified, including a procedure for adaptive management;
Conditions under which a plan may be terminated;
A procedure for adaptive management that evaluates the effectiveness of the plan to meet its measurable public resources objectives, reflects changes in the best available science, and provides changes to its habitat management strategies, prescriptions, and hydraulic project standards to the extent agreed to in the plan and in a timely manner and schedule;
A description of how the plan relates to publicly available plans of adjacent federal, state, tribal, and private timberland owners; and
A statement of whether the landowner intends to apply for approval of the plan under applicable federal law.
Until December 31, 2000, the department, in agreement with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when the landowner elects to cover water quality in the plan, shall approve a landscape management plan and enter into a binding implementation agreement with the landowner when such departments find, based upon the best scientific data available, that:
The plan contains all of the elements required under this section including measurable public resource objectives;
The plan is expected to be effective in meeting those objectives;
The landowner has sufficient financial resources to implement the management strategies or prescriptions to be implemented by the landowner under the plan;
The plan will:
Provide better protection than current state law for the public resources selected for coverage under the plan considered in the aggregate; and
Compared to conditions that could result from compliance with current state law:
(A) Not result in poorer habitat conditions over the life of the plan for any species selected for coverage that is listed as threatened or endangered under federal or state law, or that has been identified as a candidate for such listing, at the time the plan is approved; and
(B) Measurably improve habitat conditions for species selected for special consideration under the plan;
e. The plan shall include watershed analysis or provide for a level of protection that meets or exceeds the protection that would be provided by watershed analysis, if the landowner selects fish or water quality as a public resource to be covered under the plan. Any alternative process to watershed analysis would be subject to timely peer review;
f. The planning process provides for a public participation process during the development of the plan, which shall be developed by the department in cooperation with the landowner.
The management plans must be submitted to the department and the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when the landowner elects to cover water quality in the plan, no later than March 1, 2000. The department shall provide an opportunity for public comment on the proposed plan. The comment period shall not be less than forty-five days. The department shall approve or reject plans within one hundred twenty days of submittal by the landowner of a final plan. The decision by the department, in agreement with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology when the landowner has elected to cover water quality in the plan, to approve or disapprove the management plan is subject to the environmental review process of chapter 43.21C RCW, provided that any public comment period provided for under chapter 43.21C RCW shall run concurrently with the public comment period provided in this subsection (2).
After a landscape management plan is adopted:
Forest practices consistent with the plan need not comply with:
The specific forest practices rules identified in the plan; and
Any forest practice rules and policies adopted after the approval of the plan to the extent that the rules:
(A) Have been adopted primarily for the protection of a public resource selected for coverage under the plan; or
(B) Provide for procedural or administrative obligations inconsistent with or in addition to those provided for in the plan with respect to those public resources; and
b. If the landowner has selected fish as one of the public resources to be covered under the plan, the plan shall serve as the hydraulic project approval for the life of the plan, in compliance with RCW 77.55.021.
The department is authorized to issue a single landscape level permit valid for the life of the plan to a landowner who has an approved landscape management plan and who has requested a landscape permit from the department. Landowners receiving a landscape level permit shall meet annually with the department and the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology where water quality has been selected as a public resource to be covered under the plan, to review the specific forest practices activities planned for the next twelve months and to determine whether such activities are in compliance with the plan. The departments will consult with the affected Indian tribes and other interested parties who have expressed an interest in connection with the review. The landowner is to provide ten calendar days' notice to the department prior to the commencement of any forest practices authorized under a landscape level permit. The landscape level permit will not impose additional conditions relating to the public resources selected for coverage under the plan beyond those agreed to in the plan. For the purposes of chapter 43.21C RCW, forest practices conducted in compliance with an approved plan are deemed not to have the potential for a substantial impact on the environment as to any public resource selected for coverage under the plan.
Except as otherwise provided in a plan, the agreement implementing the landscape management plan is an agreement that runs with the property covered by the approved landscape management plan and the department shall record notice of the plan in the real property records of the counties in which the affected properties are located. Prior to its termination, no plan shall permit forestland covered by its terms to be withdrawn from such coverage, whether by sale, exchange, or other means, nor to be converted to nonforestry uses except to the extent that such withdrawal or conversion would not measurably impair the achievement of the plan's stated public resource objectives. If a participant transfers all or part of its interest in the property, the terms of the plan still apply to the new landowner for the plan's stated duration unless the plan is terminated under its terms or unless the plan specifies the conditions under which the terms of the plan do not apply to the new landowner.
The departments of natural resources, fish and wildlife, and ecology shall seek to develop memorandums of agreements with federal agencies and affected Indian tribes relating to tribal issues in the landscape management plans. The departments shall solicit input from affected Indian tribes in connection with the selection, review, and approval of any landscape management plan. If any recommendation is received from an affected Indian tribe and is not adopted by the departments, the departments shall provide a written explanation of their reasons for not adopting the recommendation.
The department together with the department of fish and wildlife, and the department of ecology relating to water quality protection, shall develop a suitable process to permit landowners to secure all permits required for the conduct of forest practices in a single multiyear permit to be jointly issued by the departments .
The legislature intends that small forestland owners have access to alternate plan processes or alternate harvest restrictions, or both if necessary, that meet the public resource protection standard set forth in RCW 76.09.370(3), but which also lowers the overall cost of regulation to small forestland owners including, but not limited to, timber value forgone, layout costs, and operating costs. The forest practices board shall consult with the small forestland owner office advisory committee in developing these alternate approaches.
As used in this section, "small forestland owner" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 76.13.120(2).
The board must amend the forest practices rules relating to road maintenance and abandonment plans that exist on May 14, 2003, to reflect the following:
A forestland owner who owns a total of eighty acres or less of forestland in Washington is not required to submit a road maintenance and abandonment plan for any block of forestland that is twenty contiguous acres or less in area;
A landowner who satisfies the definition of a small forestland owner, but who does not qualify under (a) of this subsection, is only required to submit a checklist road maintenance and abandonment plan with the abbreviated content requirements provided for in subsection (3) of this section, and is not required to comply with annual reporting and review requirements; and
Existing forest roads must be maintained only to the extent necessary to prevent damage to public resources.
The department must provide a landowner who is either exempted from submitting a road maintenance and abandonment plan under subsection (1)(a) of this section, or who qualifies for a checklist road maintenance and abandonment plan under subsection (1)(b) of this section, with an educational brochure outlining road maintenance standards and requirements. In addition, the department must develop a series of nonmandatory educational workshops on the rules associated with road construction and maintenance.
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A landowner who qualifies for a checklist road maintenance and abandonment plan under subsection (1)(b) of this section is only required to submit a checklist, designed by the department in consultation with the small forestland owner office advisory committee created in RCW 76.13.110, that confirms that the landowner is applying the checklist criteria to forest roads covered or affected by a forest practices application or notification. When developing the checklist road maintenance and abandonment plan, the department shall ensure that the checklist does not exceed current state law. Nothing in this subsection increases or adds to small forestland owners' duties or responsibilities under any other section of the forest practices rules or any other state law or rule.
A landowner who qualifies for the checklist road maintenance and abandonment plan is not required to submit the checklist before the time that he or she submits a forest practices application or notification for final or intermediate harvesting, or for salvage of trees. The department may encourage and accept checklists prior to the time that they are due.
4.
The board shall adopt emergency rules under RCW 34.05.090 by October 31, 2003, to implement this section. The emergency rules shall remain in effect until permanent rules can be adopted. The forest practices rules that relate to road maintenance and abandonment plans shall remain in effect as they existed on May 14, 2003, until emergency rules have been adopted under this section.
Until July 1, 2030, the charge for the term of an easement granted under RCW 79.110.230(2) will be determined as follows and will be paid in advance upon grant of the easement:
Five thousand dollars for individual easement crossings that are no longer than one mile in length;
Twelve thousand five hundred dollars for individual easement crossings that are more than one mile but less than five miles in length; or
Twenty thousand dollars for individual easement crossings that are five miles or more in length.
The charge for easements under subsection (1) of this section must be adjusted annually by the rate of yearly change in the most recently published Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton consumer price index, all urban consumers (CPI-U), over the consumer price index for the same period of the preceding year, as compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington rounded up to the nearest fifty dollars.
The term of the easement is thirty years or a period of less than thirty years if requested by the person or entity seeking the easement.
In addition to the charge for the easement under subsection (1) of this section, the department may recover its administrative costs incurred in receiving an application for the easement, approving the easement, and reviewing plans for and construction of the public utility lines. For the purposes of this subsection, "administrative costs" is equivalent to twenty percent of the fee for the easement as determined under subsection (1) of this section and adjusted under subsection (2) of this section. For public utility lines owned by a governmental entity, the administrative costs will be calculated based on the length of the easement and the fee that it would be charged if it were subject to the easement charges in this section. When multiple public utility lines are owned by the same entity and are authorized under the same easement, the administrative fee for the easement shall be equal to twenty percent of the easement fee for the single longest public utility line. Administrative costs recovered by the department must be deposited into the resource management cost account.
Applicants under RCW 79.110.230(2) providing a residence with an individual service connection for electrical, natural gas, cable television, or telecommunications service are not required to pay the charge for the easement under subsection (1) of this section but shall pay administrative costs under subsection (4) of this section.
A final decision on applications for an easement must be made within one hundred twenty days after the department receives the completed application and after all applicable regulatory permits for the aquatic easement have been acquired. This subsection applies to applications submitted before June 13, 2002, as well as to applications submitted on or after June 13, 2002. Upon request of the applicant, the department may reach a decision on an application within sixty days and charge an additional fee for an expedited processing. The fee for an expedited processing is ten percent of the combined total of the easement charge and administrative costs.
State lands may be leased not to exceed ten years with the following exceptions:
The lands may be leased for agricultural purposes not to exceed twenty-five years, except:
Leases that authorize tree fruit or grape production may be for up to fifty-five years;
Share crop leases may not exceed ten years;
The lands may be leased for commercial, industrial, business, or recreational purposes not to exceed fifty-five years, except:
Leases for commercial, industrial, or business purposes may extend to 99 years;
All leases for commercial, industrial, or business purposes that extend beyond 55 years must provide for periodic rental reevaluation and adjustment, except leases with rentals based on a percentage of income;
The lands may be leased for public school, college, or university purposes not to exceed seventy-five years;
The lands may be leased for residential purposes not to exceed ninety-nine years; and
The lands and development rights on state lands held for the benefit of the common schools may be leased to public agencies, as defined in RCW 79.17.200, not to exceed ninety‑nine years. The leases may include provisions for renewal of lease terms.
No lessee of state lands may remain in possession of the land after the termination or expiration of the lease without the written consent of the department.
The department may authorize a lease extension for a specific period beyond the term of the lease for cropping improvements for the purpose of crop rotation. These improvements shall be deemed authorized improvements under RCW 79.13.030.
Upon expiration of the lease term, the department may allow the lessee to continue to hold the land for a period not exceeding one year upon such rent, terms, and conditions as the department may prescribe, if the leased land is not otherwise utilized.
Upon expiration of the one-year lease extension, the department may issue a temporary permit to the lessee upon terms and conditions it prescribes if the department has not yet determined the disposition of the land for other purposes.
The temporary permit shall not extend beyond a five-year period.
If during the term of the lease of any state lands for agricultural, grazing, commercial, residential, business, or recreational purposes, in the opinion of the department it is in the best interest of the state so to do, the department may, on the application of the lessee and in agreement with the lessee, alter and amend the terms and conditions of the lease. The sum total of the original lease term and any extension thereof shall not exceed the limits provided in this section.
The department must include in the text of any grazing leases language that explains the right of access, and associated assumption of liability, created in RCW 76.04.021.
The imposition of tolls for express toll lanes on Interstate 405 between Interstate 5 on the north end in the city of Lynnwood and Interstate 5 on the south end in the city of Tukwila, and for state route number 167 between Interstate 405 on the north end and state route number 512 on the south end is authorized. Interstate 405 and state route number 167 are designated an eligible toll facility, and toll revenue generated in the corridor must only be expended on the Interstate 405 and state route number 167 projects as identified in each corridor's master plan and as allowed under RCW 47.56.820.
Tolls for the express toll lanes must be set as follows:
The schedule of toll rates must be set by the tolling authority pursuant to RCW 47.56.850. Toll rates may vary in amount by time of day, level of traffic congestion within the highway facility, or other criteria, as the tolling authority deems appropriate.
In those locations with two express toll lanes in each direction, the toll rate must be the same in both lanes.
Toll charges may not be assessed on transit buses and vanpools.
The department shall establish performance standards for travel time, speed, and reliability for the express toll lanes project. The department must automatically adjust the toll rate within the schedule established by the tolling authority, using dynamic tolling, to maintain the goal that average vehicle speeds in the lanes remain above forty-five miles per hour at least ninety percent of the time during peak hours.
The tolling authority shall periodically review the toll rates against traffic performance of all lanes to determine if the toll rates are effectively maintaining travel time, speed, and reliability on the highway facilities.
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Toll charges may not be assessed on carpools with two or more people in the vehicle on the portion of Interstate 405 between Bellevue and state route number 167 for at least the first year following the initial imposition of tolls on that portion of the express toll lanes, contingent upon the analysis described in (f)(ii) of this subsection.
The department must analyze the effect of (f)(i) of this subsection utilizing forecasting and modeling data and present the results of the analysis to the tolling authority. If the analysis indicates that the express toll lanes on the portion of Interstate 405 between Bellevue and state route number 167 will not cover the financial obligations outlined in RCW 47.56.884(4), then the restriction on toll charges in (f)(i) of this subsection will not be implemented and the department must provide the transportation committees of the legislature with a report, within thirty days, that provides options for not assessing toll charges on carpools with two or more people in the vehicle, which also meet the financial obligations outlined in RCW 47.56.884(4).
After the bonds issued pursuant to RCW 47.10.896(1)(a) are retired, the tolling authority must reduce the toll rates commensurate with this reduction in the amount of toll revenues required from the express toll lanes.
The department shall work with local jurisdictions to minimize and monitor impacts to local streets and, after consultation with local jurisdictions, recommend mitigation measures to the legislature in those locations where it is appropriate.
4.
The department, in consultation with the transportation commission, shall consider making operational changes necessary to fix any unintended consequences of implementing the express toll lanes.
It is the intent of the legislature to establish policy goals for the planning, operation, performance of, and investment in, the state's transportation system. Public investments in transportation should support achievement of these policy goals:
Preservation: To maintain, preserve, and extend the life and utility of prior investments in transportation systems and services, including the state ferry system;
Safety: To provide for and improve the safety and security of transportation customers and the transportation system;
Stewardship: To continuously improve the quality, effectiveness, resilience, and efficiency of the transportation system;
Mobility: To improve the predictable movement of goods and people throughout Washington state, including congestion relief and improved freight mobility;
Economic vitality: To promote and develop transportation systems that stimulate, support, and enhance the movement of people and goods to ensure a prosperous economy; and
Environment: To enhance Washington's quality of life through transportation investments that promote energy conservation, enhance healthy communities, and protect the environment.
The powers, duties, and functions of state transportation agencies must be performed in a manner consistent with the policy goals set forth in subsection (1) of this section with preservation and safety being priorities.
These policy goals are intended to be the basis for establishing detailed and measurable objectives and related performance measures.
It is the intent of the legislature that the office of financial management, in consultation with the transportation commission, establish objectives and performance measures for the department and other state agencies with transportation-related responsibilities to ensure transportation system performance at local, regional, and state government levels progresses toward the attainment of the policy goals set forth in subsection (1) of this section.
A local or regional agency engaging in transportation planning may voluntarily establish objectives and performance measures to demonstrate progress toward the attainment of the policy goals set forth in subsection (1) of this section or any other transportation policy goals established by the local or regional agency. A local or regional agency engaging in transportation planning is encouraged to provide local and regional objectives and performance measures to be included with the objectives and performance measures submitted to the legislature pursuant to subsection (4) of this section.
This section does not create a private right of action.
Property owned by a public utility district that is exempt from property tax under RCW 84.36.010 is subject to an annual payment in lieu of property taxes if the property consists of a broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services.
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The amount of the payment must be determined jointly and in good faith negotiation between the public utility district that owns the property and the county or counties in which the property is located.
The amount agreed upon may not exceed the property tax amount that would be owed on the property comprising the broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services as calculated by the department of revenue. The public utility district must provide information necessary for the department of revenue to make the required valuation under this subsection. The department of revenue must provide the amount of property tax that would be owed on the property to the county or counties in which the broadband infrastructure is located on an annual basis.
If the public utility district and a county cannot agree on the amount of the payment in lieu of taxes, either party may invoke binding arbitration by providing written notice to the other party. In the event that the amount of payment in lieu of taxes is submitted to binding arbitration, the arbitrators must consider the government services available to the public utility district's broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services. The public utility district and county must each select one arbitrator, the two of whom must pick a third arbitrator. Costs of the arbitration, including compensation for the arbitrators' services, must be borne equally by the parties participating in the arbitration.
By April 30th of each year, a public utility district must remit the annual payment to the county treasurer of each county in which the public utility district's broadband infrastructure used in providing retail telecommunications services is located in a form and manner required by the county treasurer.
The county must distribute the amounts received under this section to all property taxing districts, including the state, in appropriate tax code areas in the same proportion as it would distribute property taxes from taxable property.
Beginning August 1, 2019, with sales made or lease agreements signed on or after the qualification period start date:
The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply as provided in (b) of this subsection to sales or leases of new or used passenger cars, light duty trucks, and medium duty passenger vehicles that:
Are exclusively powered by a clean alternative fuel; or
Use at least one method of propulsion that is capable of being reenergized by an external source of electricity and are capable of traveling at least 30 miles using only battery power; and
iii.(A) Have a vehicle selling price plus trade-in property of like kind for purchased vehicles that:
(I) For a vehicle that is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed $45,000; or
(II) For a vehicle that is a used vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed $30,000; or
(B) Have a fair market value at the inception of the lease for leased vehicles that:
(I) For a vehicle that is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed $45,000; or
(II) For a vehicle that is a used vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed $30,000;
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i. The exemption in this section is applicable for up to the amounts specified in (b)(ii) or (iii) of this subsection of:
(A) The total amount of the vehicle's selling price, for sales made; or
(B) The total lease payments made plus any additional selling price of the leased vehicle if the original lessee purchases the leased vehicle before the qualification period end date, for lease agreements signed.
ii. Based on the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed of the vehicle if the vehicle is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed:
(A) From the qualification period start date until July 31, 2021, the maximum amount eligible under (b)(i) of this subsection is $25,000;
(B) From August 1, 2021, until July 31, 2023, the maximum amount eligible under (b)(i) of this subsection is $20,000;
(C) From August 1, 2023, until July 31, 2025, the maximum amount eligible under (b)(i) of this subsection is $15,000.
iii. If the vehicle is a used vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, the maximum amount eligible under (b)(i) of this subsection is $16,000.
The seller must keep records necessary for the department to verify eligibility under this section. A person claiming the exemption must also submit itemized information to the department for all vehicles for which an exemption is claimed that must include the following: Vehicle make; vehicle model; model year; whether the vehicle has been sold or leased; date of sale or start date of lease; length of lease; sales price for purchased vehicles and fair market value at the inception of the lease for leased vehicles; and the total amount qualifying for the incentive claimed for each vehicle, in addition to the future monthly amount to be claimed for each leased vehicle. This information must be provided in a form and manner prescribed by the department.
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The department of licensing must maintain and publish a list of all vehicle models qualifying for the tax exemptions under this section or RCW 82.12.9999 until the expiration date of this section, and is authorized to issue final rulings on vehicle model qualification for these criteria. A seller is not responsible for repayment of the tax exemption under this section and RCW 82.12.9999 for a vehicle if the department of licensing's published list of qualifying vehicle models on the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed includes the vehicle model and the department of licensing subsequently removes the vehicle model from the published list, and, if applicable, the vehicle meets the qualifying criterion under subsection (1)(a)(iii)(B) of this section and RCW 82.12.9999(1)(a)(iii)(B).
The department of revenue retains responsibility for determining whether a vehicle meets the applicable qualifying criterion under subsection (1)(a)(iii)(B) of this section and RCW 82.12.9999(1)(a)(iii)(B).
4.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
a. "Clean alternative fuel" means natural gas, propane, hydrogen, or electricity, when used as a fuel in a motor vehicle that meets the California motor vehicle emission standards in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, effective January 1, 2019, and the rules of the Washington state department of ecology.
b. "Fair market value" has the same meaning as "value of the article used" in RCW 82.12.010.
c. "New vehicle" has the same meaning as "new motor vehicle" in RCW 46.04.358.
d. "Qualification period end date" means August 1, 2025.
e. "Qualification period start date" means August 1, 2019.
f. "Used vehicle" has the same meaning as in RCW 46.04.660.
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Sales of vehicles delivered to the buyer or leased vehicles for which the lease agreement was signed after the qualification period end date do not qualify for the exemption under this section.
All leased vehicles that qualified for the exemption under this section before the qualification period end date must continue to receive the exemption as described under subsection (1)(b) of this section on any lease payments due through the remainder of the lease before August 1, 2028.
This section expires August 1, 2028.
This section is supported by the revenues generated in RCW 46.17.324, and therefore takes effect only if RCW 46.17.324 is enacted by June 30, 2019.
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(A) Principal and interest payments on bonds issued to finance or refinance public improvements in a benefit zone under the authority of RCW 39.100.060;
(B) Principal and interest payments on other bonds issued by the local government to finance public improvements; or
(C) Payments for public improvement costs.
ii. Moneys collected and used as provided in (a)(i) of this subsection must be matched with an amount from local public sources dedicated, as further provided in RCW 82.14.465 (4)(c)(ii) and (7)(k), through December 31st of the previous calendar year to finance public improvements authorized under chapter 39.100 RCW.
b. Local public sources are dedicated to finance public improvements if they: (i) Are actually expended to pay public improvement costs or debt service on bonds issued for public improvements; or (ii) are required by law or an agreement to be used exclusively to pay public improvement costs or debt service on bonds issued for public improvements.
c. A city, town, or county is not required to expend taxes imposed under RCW 82.14.465 in the fiscal year in which the taxes are received.
A local government must inform the department by the first day of March of the amount of local public sources allocated to the preceding calendar year to finance public improvements authorized under chapter 39.100 RCW.
If a local government fails to comply with subsection (2) of this section, no tax may be imposed under RCW 82.14.465 in the subsequent fiscal year.
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A local government must provide a report to the department and the state auditor by March 1st of each year. A local government must make a good faith effort to provide information required for the report.
The report must contain the following information:
The amount of tax allocation revenues, taxes under RCW 82.14.465, and local public sources received by the local government during the preceding calendar year, and a summary of how these revenues were expended; and
The names of any businesses known to the local government that have located within the benefit zone as a result of the public improvements undertaken by the local government and financed in whole or in part with hospital benefit zone financing.
Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to high schools to implement specialized courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers as provided by a national multidisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program. Grant funds must be allocated on a one‑time basis and may be used to purchase course curriculum and equipment, initial course student materials, and support professional development for course teachers.
The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). This is a competitive grant process. Successful high school applicants must:
Demonstrate engaged and committed high school and district leadership and faculty in support of expanding specialized STEM courses;
Demonstrate that faculty are appropriately trained to offer specialized STEM courses or a plan for faculty to obtain the appropriate training;
Demonstrate capacity to offer the specialized STEM courses and maximize the use of grant resources by addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment at the high school and from area high schools as appropriate, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the superintendent of public instruction;
Provide the plan for course implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the course;
Provide a plan to promote opportunities for students to acquire college credit;
Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing specialized STEM courses. Partner support may include one or more of the following: Supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, and other program components;
Demonstrate connections to community and technical college programs as well as links to four‑year higher education institution STEM programs; and
Demonstrate capacity to continue the course in years succeeding the initial grant year.
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Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to high schools to implement a training program to prepare students for employment as entry‑level aerospace assemblers. Grant funds must be allocated on a one‑time basis and may be used to purchase or improve course curriculum, purchase course equipment, and support professional development for course teachers. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult and team with the community and technical colleges' center of excellence for aerospace and advanced materials manufacturing regarding the developing aerospace program of study and industry career needs. This information must assist the office of the superintendent of public instruction in refining specific aspects to the criteria in subsection (2) of this section and leveraging advantages and opportunities for students in selected high schools.
The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). This is a competitive grant process. Successful high school applicants must:
Demonstrate engaged and committed high school and district leadership and faculty in support of the aerospace assembler program;
Demonstrate capacity to offer the program and maximize the use of grant resources addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment from the high school as well as from other area high schools as appropriate, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the office of the superintendent of public instruction;
Demonstrate linkages to programs at local community and technical colleges and private technical schools to provide a seamless pathway for students to continue their education and career preparation beyond high school;
Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing an entry-level aerospace assembler program that includes one or more of the following: Apprenticeships, supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, and other program components;
Provide the plan for program implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the course; and
Demonstrate capacity to continue the program in years succeeding the initial grant year.
Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to skill centers to implement enhanced manufacturing skills programs. Grant funds must be allocated on a one‑time basis and may be used to purchase or improve program curriculum, purchase course equipment, and support professional development for program teachers. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult and team with the community and technical colleges' center of excellence for aerospace and advanced materials manufacturing regarding the developing aerospace program of study and industry career needs as well as other community and technical college manufacturing programs. This information must assist the office of the superintendent of public instruction in refining specific aspects to the criteria in subsection (2) of this section and leveraging advantages and opportunities for students in selected skill centers.
The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). This is a competitive grant process. Successful skill center applicants must:
Demonstrate that enhanced manufacturing skills programs meet industry certification standards;
Demonstrate engaged and committed skill center and school district leadership and faculty in support of the program;
Demonstrate capacity to offer the enhanced manufacturing skills programs and maximize the use of grant resources addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment from area high schools and students from area community and technical colleges if space is available, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the office of the superintendent of public instruction;
Demonstrate linkages to programs at local community and technical colleges and private technical schools to provide a seamless pathway for students to continue their education and career preparation beyond high school;
Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing an enhanced manufacturing skills program that includes one or more of the following: Apprenticeships, supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, and other program components;
Provide the plan for program implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the program; and
Demonstrate capacity to continue the program in years succeeding the initial grant year.
Within thirty days of receipt of an audit under RCW 43.09.310 containing findings of noncompliance with state law, the subject state agency shall submit a response and a plan for remediation to the office of financial management. Within sixty days of receipt of an audit under RCW 43.09.310 containing findings of noncompliance with state law, the office of financial management shall post the subject state agency's response and a plan for remediation on the website of the office of financial management.
If, at the next succeeding audit of the subject state agency, the state auditor determines that the subject state agency has failed to make substantial progress in remediating the noncompliance with state law, the state auditor shall notify the governor, the joint legislative audit and review committee, and the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the senate and house of representatives.
Upon receipt of a notification under subsection (2) of this section, a fiscal or policy committee of the senate or house of representatives may refer the matter to the senate committee on facilities and operations or the executive rules committee of the house of representatives, which committee may refer the matter to the attorney general for appropriate legal action under RCW 43.09.330.
The committee shall create an expedited process by which owners can complete a direct rollover or investment change of a 529 account from a:
State-sponsored prepaid tuition plan to a state-sponsored college savings plan;
State-sponsored college savings plan to a state-sponsored prepaid tuition plan; or
State-sponsored prepaid tuition plan or a state-sponsored college savings plan to an out-of-state eligible 529 plan.
In order to test an autonomous motor vehicle on any public roadway under the department's autonomous vehicle self-certification testing pilot program, the following information must be provided by the self-certifying entity testing the autonomous motor vehicle:
Contact information specified by the department;
Local jurisdictions where testing is planned;
The vehicle identification numbers of the autonomous vehicles being tested, provided that one is required by state or federal law; and
Proof of an insurance policy that meets the requirements of RCW 46.30.050.
Any autonomous motor vehicle to which subsection (1) of this section is applicable and that does not have a vehicle identification number and is not otherwise required under state or federal law to have a vehicle identification number assigned to it must be assigned a unique identification number that is provided to the department and that is displayed in the vehicle in a manner similar to the display of vehicle identification numbers in motor vehicles.
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The self-certifying entity testing the autonomous motor vehicle on any public roadway must notify the department of:
Any collisions that are required to be reported to law enforcement under RCW 46.52.030, involving an autonomous motor vehicle during testing on any public roadway; and
Any moving violations, as defined in administrative rule as authorized under RCW 46.20.2891, for which a citation or infraction was issued, involving an autonomous motor vehicle during testing on any public roadway.
By February 1st of each year, the self-certifying entity must submit a report to the department covering reportable events from the prior calendar year.
The self-certifying entity shall provide the information required by the department under (a) of this subsection. The information provided must include whether the autonomous driving system was operating the vehicle at the time of or immediately prior to the collision or moving violation, and in the case of a collision, details regarding the collision, including any loss of life, injury, or property damage that resulted from the collision.
The provisions of this section are supplemental to all other rights and duties under law applicable in the event of a motor vehicle collision.
The self-certifying entity testing the autonomous motor vehicle on public roadways under the department's autonomous vehicle self-certification testing pilot program must provide written notice in advance of testing to local and state law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over any of the public roadways on which testing will occur that includes the expected period of time during which testing will occur in the applicable jurisdictions, including city police departments within city limits where testing will occur, county sheriff departments outside of city limits in counties where testing will occur, and the Washington state patrol when testing will occur on limited access highways, as defined in RCW 47.52.010. However, for testing primarily on limited access highways that travels through multiple local jurisdictions, which may include the limited incidental use of other roadways, the self-certifying entity must only provide written notice as specified in this subsection to the Washington state patrol. Written notice provided under this subsection must: (a) Be provided not less than fourteen and not more than sixty days in advance of testing; (b) include contact information where the law enforcement agency can communicate with the self-certifying entity testing the autonomous vehicle regarding the testing planned in that jurisdiction; and (c) provide the physical description of the motor vehicle or vehicles being tested, including make, model, color, and license plate number.
The department may adopt a fee to be charged by the department for self-certification in an amount sufficient to offset administration by the department of the self-certification testing pilot program.
The department shall provide public access to the information self-certifying entities provide to it.
An autonomous motor vehicle may not be operated on any public roadway for the purposes of testing in Washington state until the department is provided with the information required under subsection (1) of this section.
For purposes of this section, "autonomous" means a level four or five driving automation system as provided in the society of automotive engineering international's standard J3016, as it existed on October 1, 2022, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section.
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If the initiating governments choose, by majority vote, to include an instream flow component, it shall be accomplished in the following manner:
If minimum instream flows have already been adopted by rule for a stream within the management area, unless the members of the local governments and tribes on the planning unit by a recorded unanimous vote request the department to modify those flows, the minimum instream flows shall not be modified under this chapter. If the members of local governments and tribes request the planning unit to modify instream flows and unanimous approval of the decision to modify such flow is not achieved, then the instream flows shall not be modified under this section;
If minimum streamflows have not been adopted by rule for a stream within the management area, setting the minimum instream flows shall be a collaborative effort between the department and members of the planning unit. The department must attempt to achieve consensus and approval among the members of the planning unit regarding the minimum flows to be adopted by the department. Approval is achieved if all government members and tribes that have been invited and accepted on the planning unit present for a recorded vote unanimously vote to support the proposed minimum instream flows, and all nongovernmental members of the planning unit present for the recorded vote, by a majority, vote to support the proposed minimum instream flows.
The department shall undertake rule making to adopt flows under (a) of this subsection. The department may adopt the rules either by the regular rules adoption process provided in chapter 34.05 RCW, the expedited rules adoption process as set forth in RCW 34.05.353, or through a rules adoption process that uses public hearings and notice provided by the county legislative authority to the greatest extent possible. Such rules do not constitute significant legislative rules as defined in RCW 34.05.328, and do not require the preparation of small business economic impact statements.
If approval is not achieved within four years of the date the planning unit first receives funds from the department for conducting watershed assessments under RCW 90.82.040, the department may promptly initiate rule making under chapter 34.05 RCW to establish flows for those streams and shall have two additional years to establish the instream flows for those streams for which approval is not achieved.
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Notwithstanding RCW 90.03.345, minimum instream flows set under this section for rivers or streams that do not have existing minimum instream flow levels set by rule of the department shall have a priority date of two years after funding is first received from the department under RCW 90.82.040, unless determined otherwise by a unanimous vote of the members of the planning unit but in no instance may it be later than the effective date of the rule adopting such flow.
Any increase to an existing minimum instream flow set by rule of the department shall have a priority date of two years after funding is first received for planning in the WRIA or multi-WRIA area from the department under RCW 90.82.040 and the priority date of the portion of the minimum instream flow previously established by rule shall retain its priority date as established under RCW 90.03.345.
Any existing minimum instream flow set by rule of the department that is reduced shall retain its original date of priority as established by RCW 90.03.345 for the revised amount of the minimum instream flow level.
Before setting minimum instream flows under this section, the department shall engage in government-to-government consultation with affected tribes in the management area regarding the setting of such flows.
Nothing in this chapter either: (a) Affects the department's authority to establish flow requirements or other conditions under RCW 90.48.260 or the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.) for the licensing or relicensing of a hydroelectric power project under the federal power act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 791 et seq.); or (b) affects or impairs existing instream flow requirements and other conditions in a current license for a hydroelectric power project licensed under the federal power act.
If the planning unit is unable to obtain unanimity under subsection (1) of this section, the department may adopt rules setting such flows.
The director, whenever it is lawful and feasible to do so, shall consult and cooperate with the federal government, as well as with other states and Canadian provinces, in the study and control of environmental problems. On behalf of the department, the director is authorized to accept, receive, disburse, and administer grants or other funds or gifts from any source, including private individuals or agencies, the federal government, and other public agencies, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
If the secretary determines in writing that a person committed to the custody of the secretary for treatment as criminally insane presents an unreasonable safety risk which, based on behavior, clinical history, and facility security is not manageable in a state hospital setting, and the secretary has given consideration to reasonable alternatives that would be effective to manage the behavior, the secretary may place the person in any secure facility operated by the secretary or the secretary of the department of corrections. The secretary's written decision and reasoning must be documented in the patient's medical file. Any person affected by this provision shall receive appropriate mental health treatment governed by a formalized treatment plan targeted at mental health rehabilitation needs and shall be afforded his or her rights under RCW 10.77.545, 10.77.550, and 10.77.595. The secretary of the department of social and health services shall retain legal custody of any person placed under this section and review any placement outside of a department mental health hospital every three months, or sooner if warranted by the person's mental health status, to determine if the placement remains appropriate.
For purposes of this section:
"Appropriate location" means (i) the emergency department of a hospital licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW during the hours the hospital is in operation; (ii) a fire station during its hours of operation and while fire personnel are present; or (iii) a federally designated rural health clinic during its hours of operation.
"Newborn" means a live human being who is less than seventy-two hours old.
"Qualified person" means (i) any person that the parent transferring the newborn reasonably believes is a bona fide employee, volunteer, or medical staff member of the hospital or federally designated rural health clinic and who represents to the parent transferring the newborn that he or she can and will summon appropriate resources to meet the newborn's immediate needs; or (ii) a firefighter, volunteer, or emergency medical technician at a fire station who represents to the parent transferring the newborn that he or she can and will summon appropriate resources to meet the newborn's immediate needs.
A parent of a newborn who transfers the newborn to a qualified person at an appropriate location is not subject to criminal liability under RCW 9A.42.060, 9A.42.070, 9A.42.080, 26.20.030, or 26.20.035.
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The qualified person at an appropriate location shall not require the parent transferring the newborn to provide any identifying information in order to transfer the newborn.
The qualified person at an appropriate location shall attempt to protect the anonymity of the parent who transfers the newborn, while providing an opportunity for the parent to anonymously give the qualified person such information as the parent knows about the family medical history of the parents and the newborn. The qualified person at an appropriate location shall provide referral information about adoption options, counseling, appropriate medical and emotional aftercare services, domestic violence, and legal rights to the parent seeking to transfer the newborn.
If a parent of a newborn transfers the newborn to a qualified person at an appropriate location pursuant to this section, the qualified person shall cause child protective services to be notified within twenty-four hours after receipt of such a newborn. Child protective services shall assume custody of the newborn within twenty-four hours after receipt of notification.
A federally designated rural health clinic is not required to provide ongoing medical care of a transferred newborn beyond that already required by law and may transfer the newborn to a hospital licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW. The federally designated rural health clinic shall notify child protective services of the transfer of the newborn to the hospital.
A hospital, federally designated rural health clinic, or fire station, its employees, volunteers, and medical staff are immune from any criminal or civil liability for accepting or receiving a newborn under this section.
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Beginning July 1, 2011, an appropriate location shall post a sign indicating that the location is an appropriate place for the safe and legal transfer of a newborn.
To cover the costs of acquiring and placing signs, appropriate locations may accept nonpublic funds and donations.