BILL REQ. #:  H-3453.1 

Read first time 01/10/12.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to constraints of expenditures for WorkFirst and child care programs; and amending RCW 74.08A.340.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 74.08A.340 and 2009 c 564 s 953 are each amended to read as follows:
     ((The department of social and health services shall operate the Washington WorkFirst program authorized under RCW 74.08A.200 through 74.08A.330, 43.330.145, 43.215.545, and 74.25.040, and chapter 74.12 RCW within the following constraints:))
     (1) The full amount of the temporary assistance for needy families block grant, plus qualifying state expenditures ((as appropriated in the biennial operating budget,)) shall be appropriated to the department of social and health services each year in the ((biennial)) appropriations act to carry out the provisions of the program authorized in RCW ((74.08A.200)) 74.08A.210 through 74.08A.330, 43.330.145, 43.215.545, and 74.25.040, ((and)) chapter 74.12 RCW, and policies established by the legislature.
     (2)(((a))) The full amount of the child care development fund, plus qualifying state expenditures, shall be appropriated to the department of early learning each year in the appropriations act to carry out the provisions of the working connections child care program, child care quality programs, and child care licensing functions. The department of early learning shall transfer to the department of social and health services funds sufficient to carry out working connections child care eligibility determinations, service authorizations, and child care provider payments in a manner consistent with policy established by the legislature and the department of early learning.
     (3) Within funds appropriated and policy established by the legislature, the department ((may)) of social and health services shall implement strategies and expend funds ((defined in subsection (1) of this section in any manner that will effectively accomplish)) in a manner, including contracting with other state agencies or local governments as appropriate, that accomplishes the outcome measures defined in RCW 74.08A.410 ((with the following exception: Beginning with the 2007-2009 biennium, funds that constitute the working connections child care program, child care quality programs, and child care licensing functions.
     (b) Beginning in the 2007-2009 fiscal biennium, the legislature shall appropriate and the departments of early learning and social and health services shall expend funds defined in subsection (1) of this section that constitute the working connections child care program, child care quality programs, and child care licensing functions in a manner that is consistent with the outcome measures defined in RCW 74.08A.410)). Within funds appropriated, the department of early learning shall expend funds in a manner consistent with the requirements of RCW 43.215.135.
     (((c))) (4) No more than fifteen percent of the appropriated amounts ((provided in subsection (1) of this section)) may be spent for administrative purposes. For the purpose of this subsection, "administrative purposes" does not include expenditures for information technology and computerization needed for tracking and monitoring required by P.L. 104-193. ((The department shall not increase grant levels to recipients of the program authorized in RCW 74.08A.200 through 74.08A.330 and 43.330.145 and chapter 74.12 RCW, except as authorized in the omnibus appropriations act for the 2009-2011 biennium.
     (3) The department shall implement strategies that accomplish the outcome measures identified in RCW 74.08A.410 that are within the funding constraints in this section. Specifically, the department shall implement strategies that will cause the number of cases in the program authorized in RCW 74.08A.200 through 74.08A.330 and 43.330.145 and chapter 74.12 RCW to decrease by at least fifteen percent during the 1997-99 biennium and by at least five percent in the subsequent biennium. The department may transfer appropriation authority between funding categories within the economic services program in order to carry out the requirements of this subsection.
     (4))) (5) The department of social and health services and the department of early learning shall operate the programs under subsections (1) and (2) of this section within appropriated levels. The departments each shall monitor expenditures against the appropriation levels provided ((for in subsection (1) of this section)) in the appropriations act. The departments shall each quarterly make a determination as to whether expenditure levels will exceed available funding and communicate ((its)) their findings to the legislature. If the determination indicates that expenditures will exceed funding at the end of the fiscal year, the departments shall take all necessary actions consistent with the appropriations act and chapters 43.215 and 74.08A RCW to ensure that all services provided under ((this chapter)) subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be made available only to the extent of the availability and level of appropriation made by the legislature.