HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2471

                       As Passed House

                      February 14, 1992

Title:  An act relating to prevention services for at-risk

 children and their families.

Brief Description:  Enacting the children's investment trust act.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Rasmussen, Leonard, Winsley, Heavey, Moyer, Ballard, Wang, Beck, Belcher, Brumsickle, Fraser, Riley, Ebersole, Roland, Anderson, G. Cole, Prentice, Wood, Ludwig, R. Johnson, Cantwell, Spanel, Valle, Forner, Brekke, Ferguson, Hine, Morris, Ogden, May, Orr, Braddock, Appelwick, Prince, G. Fisher, Sheldon, Basich, R. Fisher, Day, Broback, O'Brien, J. Kohl, Morton, Franklin, Dorn, Kremen, Rayburn, Bowman, Hargrove, Chandler, Pruitt, Dellwo, Paris, Brough, R. King, Jones, Mitchell, Sprenkle and H. Myers).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, January 22, 1992, DPS;

Revenue, February 8, 1992, DPS(HS-A REV);

Passed House, February 14, 1992, 92-0.

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).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

REVENUE

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services be substituted therefor and the substitute bill as amended by Committee on Revenue do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Wang, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair; Brumsickle, Ranking Minority Member; Wynne, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Carlson; Day; J. Kohl; Leonard; Morris; Morton; Rust; and Silver.

Staff:  Robin Appleford (786-7093).

Background:  Preventive social and health programs for children are effective in addressing and alleviating childhood problems.  Comprehensive services which serve children and their families as a unit have the potential to resolve problems before they become so severe that a crisis response service is necessary.  There is no current trust account which is dedicated to fund childrens' services with the proceeds of sales and use tax revenues from specific business activities.

Summary of Bill:  A childrens' investment trust account is created in the state treasury.  Money deposited in the trust account will be appropriated by the Legislature to the Department of Community Development.  The department will award appropriated money through a grant program to fund prevention services to and for young at-risk children and their families.  The legislation will be null and void if no appropriation is made by June 30, 1995.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  (Human Services):  Additional money is needed to fund prevention and early intervention services and programs for young children.  The Department of Community Development is the best agency to have this responsibility.

(Revenue):  This is an opportunity to invest in the future of our children if the tax source becomes available.  We can prevent children from becoming casualties of society.  These programs need a stable, ongoing source of funding.  The legislature would still have to appropriate money for these purposes.

Testimony Against:  (Human Services):  None.

(Revenue):  None.

Witnesses:  (Human Services):  Rep. Marilyn Rasmussen, Prime sponsor; Mike Ryherd, Community Action Association; Rick Allen, Pierce County Community Action; Janice Turnow, East Pierce Special Services Cooperative; Barbara Bingham, Tacoma-Pierce County Commission on Children, Youth, and their Families; Laurie Lippold, Childrens Home Society; John Walsh, Parent; and Rose Stidham, Metropolitan Development Council.

(Revenue):  Marilyn Rasmussen, Prime Sponsor; Larry Stuckart, Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs; Bill Riley, Kittatas County Action Council; Dini Duclos, Medina Children's Service; Kip Tokuda and Ruth Harms, Washington Council for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect; Mike Ryherd, Community Action Agencies; and Bob Swanson, Neighborhood House and Washington State Association of Community Action Agencies (all in favor).