FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1559

                         C 255 L 93

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Developing a plan for school‑aged child care programs.

By Representatives Brown, Wolfe, Ballasiotes, Flemming, Riley, Kessler, Linville, Thibaudeau, Leonard, J. Kohl, Mastin, Wang, Jones, Pruitt, Karahalios, Campbell, Johanson, Quall, G. Fisher, Cothern, L. Johnson, Kremen and H. Myers.

House Committee on Human Services

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Background:  Between 1979 and 1990, the real median income of families with children fell by 5 percent.  The poorest families experienced a 13 percent decrease in their median incomes.  Partly based on declining family household incomes, mothers have steadily entered the work force.  In 1970, 39 percent of children had a mother in the work force.  By 1990, the proportion of children with mothers working had increased to 61 percent.  Many children live in single parent households or households where both parents are employed.  Children living in these households are often not under the care and supervision of an adult, particularly during times school is not in session.  Children who are unsupervised before and after school are at greater risk of health and safety problems.

Summary:  The Child Care Coordinating Council is directed to develop a plan for a statewide system of child care programs for children of school age.  The plan will be submitted to appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 1993.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  68 30

Senate 38 6

Effective:  July 25, 1993