RCW 43.71B.020 Indian health advisory council—Duties—Reinvestment committee—Role of health care authority.

(1) The governor's Indian health advisory council is established, consisting of:

(a) The following voting members:

(i) One representative from each tribe, designated by the tribal council, who is either the tribe's commission delegate or an individual specifically designated for this role, or his or her designee;

(ii) The chief executive officer of each urban Indian organization, or the urban Indian organization's commission delegate if applicable, or his or her designee;

(iii) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(iv) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate; and

(v) One member representing the governor's office; and

(b) The following nonvoting members:

(i) One member of the executive leadership team from each of the following state agencies: The authority; the department of children, youth, and families; the department of commerce; the department of corrections; the department of health; the department of social and health services; the office of the insurance commissioner; the office of the superintendent of public instruction; and the Washington health benefit exchange;

(ii) The chief operating officer of each Indian health service area office and service unit, or his or her designee;

(iii) The executive director of the commission, or his or her designee; and

(iv) The executive director of the board, or his or her designee.

(2) The advisory council shall meet at least three times per year when the legislature is not in session, in a forum that offers both in-person and remote participation where everyone can hear and be heard.

(3) The advisory council has the responsibility to:

(a) Adopt the biennial Indian health improvement advisory plan prepared and amended by the reinvestment committee as described in RCW 43.71B.030 no later than November 1st of each odd-numbered year;

(b) Address current or proposed policies or actions that have tribal implications and are not able to be resolved or addressed at the agency level;

(c) Facilitate better understanding among advisory council members and their support staff of the Indian health system, American Indian and Alaska Native health disparities and historical trauma, and tribal sovereignty and self-governance;

(d) Provide oversight of contracting and performance of service coordination organizations or service contracting entities as defined in RCW 70.320.010 in order to address their impacts on services to American Indians and Alaska Natives and relationships with Indian health care providers; and

(e) Provide oversight of the Indian health improvement reinvestment account created in RCW 43.71B.040, ensuring that amounts expended from the reinvestment account are consistent with the advisory plan adopted under RCW 43.71B.030.

(4) The reinvestment committee of the advisory council is established, consisting of the following members of the advisory council:

(a) With voting rights on the reinvestment committee, every advisory council member who represents a tribe or an urban Indian organization; and

(b) With nonvoting rights on the reinvestment committee, every advisory council member who represents a state agency, the Indian health service area office or a service unit, the commission, and the board.

(5) The advisory council may appoint technical advisory committees, which may include members of the advisory council, as needed to address specific issues and concerns.

(6) The authority, in conjunction with the represented state agencies on the advisory council, shall supply such information and assistance as are deemed necessary for the advisory council and its committees to carry out its duties under this section.

(7) The authority shall provide (a) administrative and clerical assistance to the advisory council and its committees and (b) technical assistance with the assistance of the commission.

(8) The advisory council meetings, reports and recommendations, and other forms of collaboration described in this chapter support the tribal consultation process but are not a substitute for the requirements for state agencies to conduct consultation or maintain government-to-government relationships with tribes under federal and state law.

[ 2019 c 282 § 3.]