FINAL BILL REPORT

                            SB 6584

                          C 296 L 94

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Providing benefits under the family emergency assistance program.

SPONSORS: Senator Rinehart; by request of Department of Social and Health Services

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

BACKGROUND:

The Consolidated Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP) provides cash grants for specific emergency needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and minor medical care.  Payments are limited to be no more than the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) grant.  Statutorily, CEAP benefits may be provided for up to two months within any 12 month period, although current DSHS rules limit benefit receipt to no more than one month within any 12 month period.  Approximately half of the households which receive CEAP benefits are subsequently approved for AFDC. The federal government provides matching funds for 50 percent of CEAP costs.

SUMMARY:

As part of the 1993-95 DSHS-Division of Children and Family Services budget, CEAP was expanded so as to receive $13 million in federal matching funds for family reconciliation and child protective services that had previously been funded with state-only funds.  Statutory language is altered to allow DSHS to claim federal funding for up to three months; it also expands the number of children eligible for such matching funds by removing language limiting eligibility to persons below the federal poverty level.  These changes will not alter eligibility requirements or the one-month benefit limitation for emergency cash grants.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    47   0

House     91   1

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1994