SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 1052

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES,

                                 APRIL 4, 1991

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for public assistance.

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

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Craswell, Stratton, and Talmadge. 

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7190)

Hearing Dates:April 2, 1991; April 4, 1991

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 babies 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.  Parents who receive visitation rights in a divorce or separation may receive information from the Department of Social and Health Services concerning the last known address and location of the biological or adopted child.

SUMMARY:

Existing statutes relating to the Community Work and Training Program are repealed and replaced with language authorizing the Department of Social and Health Services to operate a Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program consistent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 babies 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.  Parents who have visitation rights will no longer receive information about the location of a biological or adopted child through the departments' Income Assistance Program.  This service will continue to be provided through the Office of Support Enforcement.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The provision of information on location of a child by the Office of Support Enforcement is deleted.  A null and void clause regarding funding is added.

TESTIMONY FOR:

Technical repeal of obsolete JOBS Program references and other statutory changes needed to conform to fed requirements.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Rep. Leonard; Bernice Morehead, DSHS