S-4780.1
SECOND SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5943
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Gildon,
Boehnke, Hasegawa, and C. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to conducting a feasibility study regarding a
2 resource data tool to connect Washington residents to services and
3 resources; adding new sections to chapter 43.20A RCW; and providing
4 an expiration date.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington
7 residents could benefit from having a quick and seamless digital way
8 to connect to services and that state agencies should explore
9 opportunities to provide such services in a way that builds off of
10 the work of their peers by maximizing the state's investments and
11 reducing the duplication of staff efforts in the provision of
12 services. The legislature finds that the advisory group created in
13 this act will have the expertise and experience to bring together
14 ideas for developing a resource data tool, which includes a mobile
15 application and web portal, that may assist Washington residents in
16 gaining access to a variety of existing services, such as social,
17 behavioral health, and housing services. While many providers, both
18 public and private, currently offer these types of services in
19 Washington, the residents of our state do not always have an easy way
20 to learn more about, and use, those services. It is the intent of the
21 legislature to conduct a feasibility study for developing a resource
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 1 data tool that will easily connect Washingtonians to the services
2 they may need and that will ensure the services are provided in an
3 efficient, cost-effective manner.
4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts
5 appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall conduct
6 a feasibility study regarding a resource data tool for the purpose of
7 digitally connecting members of the public to state services. The
8 feasibility study must be conducted in collaboration with the
9 advisory group created in section 3 of this act.
10 (2) The feasibility study shall include recommendations for a
11 mobile application for the purpose of assisting users in accessing
12 state and private resources and services.
13 (3) Among other relevant topics, the feasibility study shall
14 examine what other digital public resources exist to prevent
15 potential redundancy of programs and to promote administrative
16 efficiency. The feasibility study shall also consider language
17 access, alternative communications options, and equitable access for
18 individuals living with disabilities or limited access to internet
19 services.
20 (4) The feasibility study shall be submitted, in compliance with
21 RCW 43.01.036, to the governor and appropriate committees of the
22 legislature by December 1, 2024.
23 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts
24 appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall convene
25 an advisory group to participate in the decision-making process
26 regarding the feasibility study established by this act. The advisory
27 group shall be composed of representatives from state agencies and
28 the community in the area of system referral and resource navigation,
29 and individuals with lived experience receiving public benefits. At a
30 minimum, the following organizations shall be invited to participate:
31 (a) Washington information network 211;
32 (b) The state 911 coordination office established in the
33 emergency management division of the state military department;
34 (c) Representatives from the department of health and the health
35 care authority involved in the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis
36 response and suicide prevention line;
37 (d) WithinReach;
38 (e) Community living connections;
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 1 (f) First five fundamentals;
2 (g) Washington communities for children;
3 (h) Washington resource data collaborative;
4 (i) Help me grow; and
5 (j) Accountable communities of health.
6 The purpose of the advisory group created in this section is to
7 inform and, upon a majority vote of the advisory group, approve and
8 submit the feasibility study to the department, which shall include a
9 plan and framework for launching the resource data tool, a web
10 portal, and a mobile application. The advisory group created in this
11 section is dissolved upon the expiration of this section.
12 (2) This section expires December 1, 2024.
13 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each
14 added to chapter 43.20A RCW.
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