HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 EHB 1152

                       As Passed House

                       April 19, 1991

Title:  An act relating to food stamps.

Brief Description:  Excluding certain child support from food stamp need and eligibility determination.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Winsley, Leonard, Riley, Tate, Cole, Mitchell, Dorn, Wineberry, Scott, Rust, Roland, Valle, R. Johnson, Franklin and Anderson.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, February 20, 1991, DPA;

Appropriations, April 8, 1991, DP(w/o HS);

Passed House, April 19, 1991, 98-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  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: Do pass without amendment by Committee on Human Services.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Ranking Minority Member; Silver, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Morton; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Holland; Lisk; May; McLean; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; H. Sommers; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146) and Wayne Kawakami (786-7384).

Background:  Federal law allows states to exempt child support as income in determining food stamp need and eligibility.  This will allow additional food stamps to be issued to eligible persons.  If a state chooses to exempt child support as income, the state is financially responsible for the increased amount of the food stamps.  The United States Congress is currently considering whether the federal government should bear this financial burden.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Social and Health Services is required to exclude child support as income in determining the need and eligibility for food stamps.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  (Human Services) This legislation will simplify administration of the food stamp program, reduce the number of state staff conducting eligibility determinations and provide more food stamps to low income people.

(Appropriations) This legislation will provide more food stamps to low-income people, simplify the eligibility process and reduce staff in the Department of Social and Health Services.

Testimony Against:  (Human Services) Funding for this purpose is not included in the governor's budget request for the 1991-93 biennium.

(Appropriations) None.

Witnesses:  (Human Services) Bernice Morehead and Mick Determan, Department of Social and Health Services (oppose fiscal impact); Greg McNabb and Lonnie Johns-Brown, National Association of Social Workers (favor); and Susan Hubbard, National Organization of Women (favor).

(Appropriations) Tony Lee, Washington Association of Churches.