SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5580

           AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 11, 1991

Brief Description:  Establishing community‑based child care resource and referral agencies.

SPONSORS:Senators Anderson, Bailey, L. Smith, McCaslin, Wojahn and A. Smith.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7190)

Hearing Dates:February 20, 1991; March 6, 1991

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5580 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, L. Kreidler, Matson, Metcalf, Murray, Newhouse, Owen, Rinehart, Saling, West, Williams, and Wojahn. 

Staff:  Karen Hayes (786-7715)

Hearing Dates: March 11, 1991

BACKGROUND:

To facilitate an integrated child care services system in local communities, linkages between consumers and child care providers need to be established or strengthened.  Growing workforce participation of both parents, as well as other stresses on the family unit create the need for quality child care.  Concerns include helping parents obtain the appropriate level of child care, increasing the supply of child care services available, and enhancing the training and support of providers to improve total quality of care.

SUMMARY:

Community-based child care resource and referral programs can seek funding through the office of the Child Care Resources Coordinator.  These programs will:  develop service plans that include such components as provision of child care services information to parents; participate with other community organizations and individuals in parent support and education efforts; support services and training for child care providers; enhance recruitment of licensed child care providers, especially in underserved areas; offer technical assistance for employers offering child care benefits; serve as an information resource for employers and policymakers regarding child care supply and demand; and generate a collaborative description of community and regional demand for services.

Funding is collaborative among local community associations,  local government, employers, nonprofit organizations, consumers, and state and federal agencies.  The programs will  request funding by grant, gift or appropriation from private  and government sources.  A minimum of 50 percent local public and private sector matching funds, which may be in-kind contributions of facilities and supplies, is required.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

An appropriation of $1,600,000 is struck and the act is made contingent upon funding in the budget.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:   available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Access to appropriate level of child care is a major problem.  This measure facilitates linkages between providers and consumers as well as recruitment and retention of child care providers.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED (Children & Family Services):  PRO:  Gail Gosney, Washington State Resource and Referral Network; Corrine Herman, Child Care Resource and Referral; Bernadine Rogstan, The Opportunity Council; Lonnie Johns-Brown, Child Care Works for WA/NOW; Marge Reeves, Washington Association for Education of Young Children/League of Women Voters

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  Gail Grosney, WA State Resource and Referral Network (pro)