HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2308

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                       Human Services

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to state employee child care.

Brief Description:  Establishing the office of state employee child care.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives H. Myers, Winsley, Fraser, Anderson, Bowman, Leonard, Belcher, Spanel, Riley, R. King, Miller, Brumsickle, Orr, O'Brien, Wang and Rasmussen; by request of Governor Gardner.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, January 22, 1992, DPS;

Appropriations, February 3, 1992, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: The substitute bill 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).

Background:  The state of Washington has expanded the availability of child care for state employees in recent years.  Employer sponsored child care results in higher productivity and lower absenteeism.  There is currently no single organization in state government to assist agencies to coordinate and develop employee child care services.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A state employee child care program is established in the Department of Personnel.  The program will establish a flexible set of child care services and policies designed to meet the child care needs of state employees.  The departments of General Administration and Personnel may conduct needs assessments to determine the need for additional child care services.  State employees may form nonprofit organizations and contract for the operation of child care facilities.  The director of the Office of Financial Management is authorized to make space available to these organizations free or at reduced rates.  The membership of the child care coordinating council is expanded, and the council is directed to work with the Department of Personnel in developing child care arrangements between state agencies and private employers.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The director of the Department of Personnel may use existing child care needs assessments rather than conducting new studies.  The Child Care Coordinating Council will establish a subcommittee on state employee child care rather than creating a new advisory committee to the director of the Department of Personnel on the same subject.  The Child Care Coordinating Council and the Department of Social and Health Services will maintain their current responsibilities for the allocation of state employee child care facility grants, and will not transfer this responsibility to the Department of Personnel.  State employee labor organizations are added to the list of organizations which will develop partnerships designed to expand the availability and affordability of quality child care.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Expanding the availability, affordability, and quality of child care available to state employees will improve worker morale, reduce absenteeism, and increase productivity.  State employee labor organizations need to be equal partners in addressing the child care needs of state employees.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Sid Sidorowitz, Governor's Office; Dee Henderson, Department of Personnel; Gail Gosney; Bill Daley, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Lonnie Johns-Brown, Child Care Works for Washington; Eugene St. John, Washington Public Employees Association and Washington Corrections Employees Association; and Bev Hermanson, Washington Federation of State Employees.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Carlson; Dorn; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Lisk; May; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; D. Sommers; H. Sommers; Sprenkle; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Barbara McLain (786-7153).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee on Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee on Human Services:  No change.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The state needs to be a leader in promoting child care options for its employees.  Secure child care increases employee morale and retention and reduces absenteeism.  The bill provides a policy framework and allows the state to develop a strategy for empowering parents.  Child care is a human resource issue.

Testimony Against:  The bill should not limit employees to one model of providing child care services.

Witnesses:  Representative Holly Myers, Prime Sponsor; Sid Sidorowitz, Governor's Office; Dee Henderson, Department of Personnel; Bev Hermanson, Washington Federation of State Employees; Eugene St. John, Washington Public Employees Association; and Cherie Tessier and Kyle Matheson, People First.