BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman

                                           1979 (Bass)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/7/2006         Amended: 8/7/2006
          Consultant:  John Miller        Policy Vote: Human Svcs  5 - 0
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          BILL SUMMARY: AB 1979 requires that any volunteer mentor to  
          foster children complete a criminal background check prior to  
          contact with a child. The bill specifies that supervising  
          departments are responsible for costs associated with the  
          criminal records check.  

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                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2006-07      2007-08       2008-09     Fund
           Criminal records ck.   $ 125      $ 60        $ 50      GF/FF
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          STAFF COMMENTS: This bill requires all volunteers who mentor  
          foster children to have criminal records checks prior to contact  
          with foster children. The bill also prohibits the Department of  
          Justice or the Department of Social Services from assessing a  
          fee on the applicant/volunteers. The bill is intended to clarify  
          that volunteers are to have background checks, but shall not be  
          subject to the costs of that check. Currently, most volunteers  
          are checked, but are also charged a fee which is proving a  
          disincentive for unpaid mentors.

          There is no information on the number of statewide foster  
          volunteers, but it is projected that there are 1,000 to 1,500.  
          There may also be very minor mandate costs to cities and  
          counties for enforcement.