AN ACT Relating to providing services and supports to pregnant and parenting minors to improve educational attainment; adding a new section to chapter 74.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.216 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.160 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.12 RCW to read as follows:

(1) An applicant who is under eighteen years of age and is pregnant or has a dependent child or children in the applicant's care is eligible to receive temporary assistance for needy families regardless of the applicant's income or available resources.

(2) In order to be eligible, the minor parent must be actively progressing towards meeting the education requirements established under RCW 74.08A.380 and be otherwise qualified to receive assistance under this title.

(3) If a minor parent lives with a parent or guardian who is not receiving assistance under this title, the income and resources of the parent or guardian of the applicant may not be considered for the purposes of determining the minor parent's eligibility for assistance.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.216 RCW to read as follows:

A parent who is under eighteen years of age and is attending high school or is working toward completing a general educational development certificate is eligible to receive working connections child care. When determining consumer eligibility and copayment under this section, the department of social and health services:

(1) Must, within existing resources, authorize full-day subsidized child care during the school year in cases where the consumer is participating in one hundred ten hours of approved activities per month;

(2) May not consider the employment status of either the consumer or the other biological parent; and

(3) May not require a copayment that is greater than the minimum copayment established by the department for the program in rule.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:

There is established an assistance unit for minor parents within the department for the purpose of providing assistance and support to minor parents. The unit shall:

(1) Assist parents under the age of eighteen with accessing public services for which they may be eligible including, but not limited to: The special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children; medicaid; home visiting; temporary assistance for needy families; and working connections child care;

(2) Develop coordinated case management plans, to the extent possible, in partnership with other state and local agencies serving minor parents who are or are likely to be receiving services from multiple public programs;

(3) Provide case management and support for minors who are parents; and

(4) Consult at least annually with the office of the superintendent of public instruction graduation, reality, and dual-role skills program staff to determine program effectiveness and identify service delivery improvements.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a competitive application process to provide grants to school districts for the establishment of a graduation, reality, and dual-role skills program.

(2) Grants awarded under this section must be used for start-up costs associated with opening a child care center located on school premises; graduation, reality, and dual-role skills program staff salaries; support group facilitation; mentoring; or other expenses associated with the operation of a graduation, reality, and dual-role skills program.

(3) No later than December 1, 2025, the Washington state institute for public policy must evaluate the effectiveness of the grants awarded under this section. The evaluation must include a cost-benefit analysis and an assessment of student outcomes for graduation, reality, and dual-role skills program participants at five years after participation. Outcomes evaluated must include data related to participants' educational attainment, employment, and participation in public assistance programs. The institute shall report these outcomes to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature no later than December 1, 2025.

(4) This section expires December 30, 2025.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.160 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By July 1, 2020, at the request of an eligible student, a school district:

(a) May allow the student to transport his or her infant on a school bus or other student transportation vehicle provided by the district. The infant must be transported in a rear-facing child restraint system as defined in the federal motor vehicle safety standards in 49 C.F.R. Sec. 571.213;

(b) Must, in cases where a district denies a student's request to transport his or her infant by school bus, authorize other arrangements for individual transportation in accordance with RCW 28A.160.030.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "eligible student" has the same meaning as set forth in RCW 28A.160.160.

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