47.06B.070 - Local coordinating coalitions -- Creation, purpose, membership, meetings, staff.

Local coordinating coalitions — Creation, purpose, membership, meetings, staff. (Effective until June 30, 2012.)

(1) A local coordinating coalition is created in each nonemergency medical transportation brokerage region, as designated by the department of social and health services, that encompasses:

     (a) A single county that has a population of more than seven hundred fifty thousand but less than one million; and

     (b) Five counties, and is comprised of at least one county that has a population of more than four hundred thousand.

     (2) The purpose of a local coordinating coalition is to advance local efforts to coordinate and maximize efficiencies in special needs transportation programs and services, contributing to the overall objectives and goals of the agency council on coordinated transportation. The local coordinating coalition shall serve in an advisory capacity to the agency council on coordinated transportation by providing the council with a focused and ongoing assessment of the special transportation needs and services provided within its region.

     (3) The composition and size of each local coordinating coalition may vary by region. Local coordinating coalition members, appointed by the chair of the agency council on coordinated transportation to two-year terms, must reflect a balanced representation of the region's providers of special needs transportation services and must include:

     (a) Members of existing local coordinating coalitions, with approval by those members;

     (b) One or more representatives of the public transit agency or agencies serving the region;

     (c) One or more representatives of private service providers;

     (d) A representative of civic or community-based service providers;

     (e) A consumer of special needs transportation services;

     (f) A representative of nonemergency medical transportation medicaid brokers;

     (g) A representative of social and human service programs;

     (h) A representative of local high school districts; and

     (i) A representative from the Washington state department of veterans affairs.

     (4) Each coalition shall vote on an annual basis to elect one of its members to serve as chair. The position of chair must rotate among the represented members at least every two years. If the position of chair is vacated for any reason, the member representing the regional transportation planning organization described in subsection (6) of this section shall serve as acting chair until the next regular meeting of the coalition, at which time the members will elect a chair.

     (5) Regular meetings of the local coordinating coalition may be convened at the call of the chair or by a majority of the members. Meetings must be open to the public, and held in locations that are readily accessible to public transportation.

     (6) The regional transportation planning organization, as described in chapter 47.80 RCW, serving the region in which the local coordinating coalition is created shall provide necessary staff support for the local coordinating coalition. In regions served by more than one regional transportation planning organization, unless otherwise agreed to by the relevant planning organizations, the regional transportation planning organization serving the largest population within the region shall provide the necessary staff support.

[2009 c 515 § 9.]