Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.06A&full=true
Timestamp: 2020-08-10 18:59:03
Document Index: 561791203

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 71', '§ 2', '§ 74', '§ 294', '§ 6', '§ 812', '§ 75', '§ 1', '§ 813', '§ 76', '§ 2', '§ 77', '§ 3', '§ 78', '§ 2', '§ 7', '§ 79', '§ 4', '§ 81', '§ 2', '§ 5']

Chapter 43.06A RCW: OFFICE OF THE FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S OMBUDS
RCWs > Title 43 > Chapter 43.06A
Chapter 43.06A RCW
43.06A.010 Office created—Purpose.
43.06A.020 Ombuds—Appointment, term of office.
43.06A.030 Duties.
43.06A.050 Confidentiality.
43.06A.060 Admissibility of evidence—Testimony regarding official duties.
43.06A.070 Release of identifying information.
43.06A.080 Inapplicability of privilege in RCW 43.06A.060.
43.06A.085 Liability for good faith performance—Privileged communications.
43.06A.090 Report of conduct warranting criminal or disciplinary proceedings.
43.06A.100 Communication with children in custody of department of children, youth, and families or part of a fatality investigation by the department of children, youth, and families—Access to information in possession or control of department of children, youth, and families or state institutions—Limitation on duty of office.
43.06A.110 Child fatality review recommendations—Annual report.
43.06A.900 Construction.
RCW 43.06A.010
There is hereby created an office of the family and children's ombuds within the office of the governor for the purpose of promoting public awareness and understanding of family and children services, identifying system issues and responses for the governor and the legislature to act upon, and monitoring and ensuring compliance with administrative acts, relevant statutes, rules, and policies pertaining to family and children's services and the placement, supervision, and treatment of children in the state's care or in state-licensed facilities or residences. The ombuds shall report directly to the governor and shall exercise his or her powers and duties independently of the secretary.
[ 2013 c 23 § 71; 1996 c 131 § 2.]
RCW 43.06A.050
The ombuds shall treat all matters under investigation, including the identities of service recipients, complainants, and individuals from whom information is acquired, as confidential, except as far as disclosures may be necessary to enable the ombuds to perform the duties of the office and to support any recommendations resulting from an investigation. Upon receipt of information that by law is confidential or privileged, the ombuds shall maintain the confidentiality of such information and shall not further disclose or disseminate the information except as provided by applicable state or federal law. Investigative records of the office of the ombuds are confidential and are exempt from public disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW.
[ 2013 c 23 § 74; 2005 c 274 § 294; 1996 c 131 § 6.]
RCW 43.06A.060
Admissibility of evidence—Testimony regarding official duties.
Neither the ombuds nor the ombuds's staff may be compelled, in any judicial or administrative proceeding, to testify or to produce evidence regarding the exercise of the official duties of the ombuds or of the ombuds's staff. All related memoranda, work product, notes, and case files of the ombuds's office are confidential, are not subject to discovery, judicial or administrative subpoena, or other method of legal compulsion, and are not admissible in evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding. This section shall not apply to the oversight board for children, youth, and families.
[ 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 § 812; 2013 c 23 § 75; 1998 c 288 § 1.]
Severability—Effective date—1998 c 288: See notes following RCW 43.06A.020.
RCW 43.06A.070
Identifying information about complainants or witnesses shall not be subject to any method of legal compulsion, nor shall such information be revealed to the oversight board for children, youth, and families or the governor except under the following circumstances: (1) The complainant or witness waives confidentiality; (2) under a legislative subpoena when there is a legislative investigation for neglect of duty or misconduct by the ombuds or ombuds's office when the identifying information is necessary to the investigation of the ombuds's acts; or (3) under an investigation or inquiry by the governor as to neglect of duty or misconduct by the ombuds or ombuds's office when the identifying information is necessary to the investigation of the ombuds's acts.
For the purposes of this section, "identifying information" includes the complainant's or witness's name, location, telephone number, likeness, social security number or other identification number, or identification of immediate family members.
[ 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 § 813; 2013 c 23 § 76; 1998 c 288 § 2.]
RCW 43.06A.080
Inapplicability of privilege in RCW 43.06A.060.
The privilege described in RCW 43.06A.060 does not apply when:
(1) The ombuds or ombuds's staff member has direct knowledge of an alleged crime, and the testimony, evidence, or discovery sought is relevant to that allegation;
(2) The ombuds or a member of the ombuds's staff has received a threat of, or becomes aware of a risk of, imminent serious harm to any person, and the testimony, evidence, or discovery sought is relevant to that threat or risk;
(3) The ombuds has been asked to provide general information regarding the general operation of, or the general processes employed at, the ombuds's office; or
(4) The ombuds or ombuds's staff member has direct knowledge of a failure by any person specified in RCW 26.44.030, including the state family and children's ombuds or any volunteer in the ombuds's office, to comply with RCW 26.44.030.
[ 2013 c 23 § 77; 1998 c 288 § 3.]
RCW 43.06A.085
Liability for good faith performance—Privileged communications.
(1) An employee of the office of the family and children's ombuds is not liable for good faith performance of responsibilities under this chapter.
(2) No discriminatory, disciplinary, or retaliatory action may be taken against an employee of the department, an employee of a contracting agency of the department, a foster parent, or a recipient of family and children's services for any communication made, or information given or disclosed, to aid the office of the family and children's ombuds in carrying out its responsibilities, unless the communication or information is made, given, or disclosed maliciously or without good faith. This subsection is not intended to infringe on the rights of the employer to supervise, discipline, or terminate an employee for other reasons.
(3) All communications by an ombuds, if reasonably related to the requirements of that individual's responsibilities under this chapter and done in good faith, are privileged and that privilege shall serve as a defense in any action in libel or slander.
[ 2013 c 23 § 78; 2009 c 88 § 2; 1999 c 390 § 7.]
RCW 43.06A.090
Report of conduct warranting criminal or disciplinary proceedings.
When the ombuds or ombuds's staff member has reasonable cause to believe that any public official, employee, or other person has acted in a manner warranting criminal or disciplinary proceedings, the ombuds or ombuds's staff member shall report the matter, or cause a report to be made, to the appropriate authorities.
[ 2013 c 23 § 79; 1998 c 288 § 4.]
RCW 43.06A.110
Child fatality review recommendations—Annual report.
The office of the family and children's ombuds shall issue an annual report to the legislature on the status of the implementation of child fatality review recommendations.
[ 2013 c 23 § 81; 2008 c 211 § 2.]
RCW 43.06A.900
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to conflict with the duty to report specified in RCW 26.44.030.
[ 1998 c 288 § 5.]