(1) The department of commerce shall distribute such funds as are appropriated for the statewide technical support, development, and enhancement of court-appointed special advocate programs.

(2) In order to receive money under subsection (1) of this section, an organization providing statewide technical support, development, and enhancement of court-appointed special advocate programs must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) The organization must provide statewide support, development, and enhancement of court-appointed special advocate programs that offer guardian ad litem services as provided in RCW 26.12.175, 26.44.053, and 13.34.100;

(b) All guardians ad litem working under court-appointed special advocate programs supported, developed, or enhanced by the organization must be volunteers and may not receive payment for services rendered pursuant to the program. The organization may include paid positions that are exclusively administrative in nature, in keeping with the scope and purpose of this section; and

(c) The organization providing statewide technical support, development, and enhancement of court-appointed special advocate programs must be a public benefit nonprofit corporation as defined in RCW 24.03A.245.

(3) If more than one organization is eligible to receive money under this section, the department shall develop criteria for allocation of appropriated money among the eligible organizations.

Effective date—2021 c 176: See note following RCW 24.03A.005.