(1) To ensure expenditures continue to remain within available funds as required by RCW 74.13A.005 and 74.13A.020, the secretary shall not set the amount of any adoption assistance payment or payments, made pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13A.005 through 74.13A.080, to more than eighty percent of the foster care maintenance payment for that child had he or she remained in a foster family home during the same period. This subsection applies prospectively to adoption assistance agreements established on or after July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2017.

(2)(a) To ensure expenditures continue to remain within available funds as required by RCW 74.13A.005 and 74.13A.020, the secretary shall not set the amount of any adoption assistance payment or payments, made pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13A.005 through 74.13A.080, to more than the following:

(i) For a child under the age of five, no more than eighty percent of the foster care maintenance payment for that child had he or she remained in a foster family home during the same period.

(ii) For a child aged five through nine, no more than ninety percent of the foster care maintenance payment for that child had he or she remained in a foster family home during the same period.

(iii) For a child aged ten through eighteen, no more than ninety-five percent of the foster care maintenance payment for that child had he or she remained in a foster family home during the same period.

(b) This subsection applies prospectively to adoption assistance agreements established on or after October 19, 2017.

(3) The department must establish a central unit of adoption support negotiators to help ensure consistent negotiation of adoption support agreements that will balance the needs of adoptive families with the state's need to remain fiscally responsible.

(4) The department must request, in writing, that adoptive families with existing adoption support contracts renegotiate their contracts to establish lower adoption assistance payments if it is fiscally feasible for the family to do so. The department shall explain that adoption support contracts may be renegotiated as needs arise.

Construction—Competitive procurement process and contract provisions—Conflict with federal requirements and Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978—2017 3rd sp.s. c 20: See notes following RCW 74.13.270.