HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1218
As Reported By House Committee On:
Children & Family Services
Title: An act relating to food stamps.
Brief Description: Determining the eligibility of persons for the food stamp program.
Sponsors: Representatives Brown, Thibaudeau, Patterson, Romero and Tokuda.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Children & Family Services: 2/2/95, 2/28/95 [DP].
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Cooke, Chairman; Lambert, Vice Chairman; Stevens, Vice Chairman; Thibaudeau, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Buck; Carrell; Padden; Patterson and Tokuda.
Staff: David Knutson (786-7146).
Background: When determining eligibility for and the amount of food stamps the Department of Social and Health Services counts the $50 in child support received by a person on the aid to families with dependent children program. The department is authorized by federal law to exempt the child care received when determining eligibility for and the amount of food stamps.
Summary of Bill: The Department of Social and Health Services will not count as income child support received by a recipient of aid to families with dependent children.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Recipients of aid to families with dependent children should not have their food stamps reduced when they receive $50 in child support payments each month.
Testimony Against: Specific funding for this proposal is not provided for in the 1995-97 biennium.
Testified: Linda Stone, Children's Alliance (pro); Alice Whittaker, Washington State University Cooperative Extension (pro); Kathy Morefield, Fair Budget Action Campaign (pro); Elizabeth Pierini, Unitarian Universal (pro); Reverend Dan Comsia, Lutheran Public Policy Office (pro); and Liz Dunbar, Department of Social and Health Services (concerns).