SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — At-risk teens in Spokane County could soon lose access to vital resources.
The state House of Representatives approved a budget cutting nearly $14 million in grants that support the Becca Bill, legislation designed to help protect children who are said to be endangering themselves.
The Becca Bill addresses three key areas: truancy requirements for children ages 8-18, at-risk youth petitions allowing parents to file with juvenile court when they need help, and Children in Need of Services (CHIN) provisions that enable kids to file if parents aren’t meeting their basic needs.
The bill was created because of the case of 13-year-old Rebecca Hedman, who was killed while prostituting herself in 1993. Her body was dumped in the Spokane River, a tragedy that highlighted gaps in the system for protecting vulnerable youth.
“Our legislature realized there was a group of kids that were falling through the cracks, and the bill was designed to help kids stay in school, stay home, follow rules,” said Judge Rachelle Anderson, who testified against House Bill 2044 before the House Appropriations Committee.
The proposed legislation would make significant changes to the Becca Bill by eliminating the requirement for schools to file truancy petitions, putting the grant funding at risk.
Tereesa Tudesque, a concerned parent, shared her personal connection to the legislation during the public hearing.
“I found Alex in his bedroom after he attempted suicide March 18. He received, and we received, information and emotional support in the moment from all providers connected to this,” Tudesque testified, pleading with lawmakers to “fully fund Becca programming.”
The funding cut is part of broader efforts by state lawmakers to address Washington’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit.
Critics of the Becca Bill have argued it has led to higher incarceration rates, but Anderson counters that truancy interventions can be lifesaving.
“You have resources through our juvenile justice system that can reach out and help those kids,” Anderson explained.
Beyond the immediate safety concerns for teens in the community, Anderson warns these funding cuts would have severe operational impacts, potentially causing the Spokane County juvenile court system to lose half of its staff.
The House passed its budget with these funding cuts Tuesday. A vote on the truancy requirements portion is scheduled for April 8.
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