HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1052

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to clarification of existing public assistance statutes.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for public assistance.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Leonard, Winsley, Riley and Basich; by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, February 21, 1991, DPS;

Appropriations, March 9, 1991, DPS(HS);

Passed House, March 20, 1991, 98-0;

Amended by Senate;

House concurred;

Passed Legislature, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1052 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Riley, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Minority Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson; Beck; Brekke; Hargrove; Hochstatter; R. King; and H. Myers.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Lisk; May; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; H. Sommers; Sprenkle; Valle; Vance; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Wayne Kawakami (786-7384).

Background:  The Family Support Act of 1989, Jobs Opportunities and Basic Skills Program (JOBS), requires every state which participates in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program (AFDC) to provide comprehensive employment and training programs for AFDC applicants and recipients.  States which have statutory authority to provide employment and training programs for AFDC recipients must comply with the Family Support Act of 1989.  In 1990 the Legislature authorized the Department of Social and Health Services to provide general assistance benefits to women who relinquish their baby for adoption.  The benefits will continue for six weeks after the birth of the child.

Applicants for public assistance who own real property over the amount allowed for eligibility purposes, may receive assistance if they make a good faith effort to dispose of the property.

Summary of Bill:  Existing statutes relating to the Community Work and Training Program are repealed and replaced with language authorizing the Department of Social and Health Services to operate a Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program consistent with the Family Support Act of 1989.  General assistance benefits to women who relinquish their baby for adoption are extended from six weeks following birth to the end of that month.  The applicants for public assistance who own real property over the amount allowed for eligibility purposes, may receive assistance for nine months if the applicant complies with procedures for disposing of real property.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Human Services): The legislation brings the Department of Social and Health Services in compliance with the federal Job Opportunity and Basic Skills Program (JOBS).  It also makes several technical changes to the public assistance statutes.

(Appropriations): DSHS is in favor of the bill.

Testimony Against:  (Human Services): None.

(Appropriations): None.

Witnesses:  (Human Services): Bernice Morehead, Department of Social and Health Services.

(Appropriations): Bernice Morehead, DSHS.