HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1714

                       As Passed House

                       March 14, 1991

Title:  An act relating to family support centers.

Brief Description:  Providing support for families in timber communities.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Riley, Beck, Leonard, Winsley, Anderson, R. King, Hargrove, H. Myers, Jacobsen, Franklin, Roland, Zellinsky, Phillips, Jones, Rasmussen, Paris, Orr, Inslee, Basich, Sheldon, Morris and Wineberry).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, February 28, 1991, DPS;

Appropriations, March 10, 1991, DPS(HS)-A;

Passed House, March 14, 1991, 91-6.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1714 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Riley, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Minority Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson; Beck; Brekke; 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 as amended by Committee on Appropriations do pass.  Signed by 23 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Hine; Lisk; McLean; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; Sprenkle; Valle; Wang; and Wineberry.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives Fuhrman; and Nealey. 

Staff:  Susan Nakagawa (786-7145).

Background:  The Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect currently funds family support centers in Spokane and Omak.  They provide parent support services and other services identified through a local needs assessment.  Family support centers help parents and families deal with the stress and problems associated with job loss, economic dislocation and other related situations.

Summary of Bill:  The Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect will contract for the operation of family support centers in additional communities around the state.  The council will give priority to establishing family support centers in timber-dependent communities and communities with high timber unemployment rates.

Fiscal Note:  Requested March 8, 1991.

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

Testimony For:  (Human Services) The dramatic reduction in timber supply will have a devastating impact in communities dependent on timber.  This will increase stress experienced by families in timber communities.  Family support centers are an effective means of helping families.

Testimony For:  (Appropriations) The legislation addresses the social needs in timber communities.  Additional Department of Social and Health Services' cases on the Olympic Peninsula demonstrate the need for additional family support centers.  The centers provide services in a cost-effective manner that respect the dignity of families.

Testimony Against:  (Human Services) None.

Testimony Against:  (Appropriations) The legislation represents good public policy, but is outside the budget as recommended by the governor.

Witnesses:  (Human Services) Mary Ellen O'Keefe, Family Resource Coalition of Washington; Margaret Casey, Children's Budget Alliance; Steve Lansing, Lutheran Public Policy Office; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; Kip Tokuda, Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect; and John Walsh, Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties.

Witnesses:  (Appropriations) Representative Riley (prime sponsor); Representative Basich; Lori Lippold, Children's Home Society of Washington; (in support); and Rich Nafziger, Governor's Timber Team (against).