BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to aid to families with dependent children; adding a new section to chapter 74.20A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.12 RCW; and adding a new chapter to Title 74 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 2 through 4 of this act.

(1) "Department" means the department of social and health services.

(2) "Participants" means recipients of aid to families with dependent children.

(3) "Washington work act" means the Washington work pilot program established in section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) In establishing and implementing a pilot program to be known as the Washington work act, it is the intent of the legislature to use the benefits of the job opportunities and basic skills training program to promote greater economic self-sufficiency among families and workers by:

(a) Requiring all recipients of aid to families with dependent children in Washington work act counties to participate in the program;

(b) Requiring all parents to work to support their families;

(d) Guaranteeing that child support payments will go to working custodial parents and their children.

(2) The Washington work act is created as a five-year pilot program in which residents of selected counties shall, in lieu of receiving payments from the aid to families with dependent children program and coupons under the food stamp program, be provided jobs that promote self-sufficiency and encourage independence from aid to families with dependent children.

(3) There is no entitlement to assistance under the Washington work act. Assistance shall be provided to eligible individuals who agree to work.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The Washington work act shall be piloted in two locations, to be chosen by the department based upon the following criteria: One in a county of eastern Washington and one in a county of western Washington. None of the pilot areas may have an unemployment rate exceeding one hundred fifty percent of the state's average unemployment rate at commencement of the pilot. The department shall give preference to counties demonstrating a desire to participate, and shall attempt to select counties with a reasonable chance to fully implement the Washington work act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. In Washington work act counties, the department shall assess all recipients of aid to families with dependent children and require them to participate in one of the following four program components:

	Basic Income Package	Weekly Work-Week	Program Time Limits
Unsubsidized Employment	Market Wage plus Food Stamps plus Earned Income Tax Credit	Forty hours per week	None
Trial Jobs	Minimum wage plus Food Stamps plus Earned Income Tax Credit	Forty hours per week	Six to nine months per job with a twenty- four month maximum
Community Service Jobs	Seventy-five percent of the minimum wage plus Food Stamps	Forty hours per week	Six to nine months per job with a twenty- four month maximum
Washington Work Transitions	Seventy percent of the minimum wage plus Food Stamps	Assigned activity hours may vary, and may be less than forty hours per week	Twenty-four month limit; extensions permitted on a case-by-case basis

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 74.20A RCW to read as follows:

All child support collected for custodial parents participating in a Washington work act county shall be passed through to the custodial parent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 74.12 RCW to read as follows:

The monthly benefit payment paid to a caretaker shall not be increased as a result of the caretaker's becoming the biological parent of any additional child or children born more than three hundred days after the day on which the caretaker first applied for assistance under this chapter. The rule against benefit increases provided in this section applies for the forty-two month period the caretaker is eligible to receive full or reduced monthly benefits. Caretakers receiving assistance under this chapter on the effective date of this section shall, for purposes of this section, be considered to have first applied for assistance on the effective date of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 74 RCW.