BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to the community work experience program; adding a new section to chapter 74.25 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; providing a contingent expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.25 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department shall establish and administer the community work experience program for participants who have not secured permanent employment during the first two years of the job opportunities and basic skills training program. These participants shall be required to participate in the community work experience program for one year as a condition of eligibility for aid to families with dependent children benefits.

(2) The department shall endeavor to develop placements for community work experience program participants that will enable participants to develop job skills that are likely to result in independent employment and that take into consideration the proficiency, experience, skills, and prior training of a participant. The department shall provide guidelines regarding the development of community work experience program jobs so that such jobs will best benefit the participant and the community serve a useful purpose, and not result in the displacement of persons currently employed. Community work experience program employment shall be under reasonable working conditions in an environment that complies with federal, state, and local health and safety standards. The council shall adopt rules providing that a community work experience program participant shall work a minimum of twenty hours and a maximum of forty hours per week in the community work experience program. Rules shall ensure that the participant and his or her case manager periodically evaluate the participant's ability to find independent employment. Participants in the community work experience program shall be eligible for day care payments, transportation services, and medicaid coverage.

(3) The following provisions shall be applicable to the community work experience program:

(a) Job opportunities and basic skills training program participants shall be eligible to participate in the community work experience program after twenty-four months of job training or work experience.

(b) Community work experience program participants shall not be assigned to projects that require that they travel unreasonable distances from their homes or remain away from their homes overnight without their consent.

(c) Any injury to a community work experience program participant by accident arising out of and in the course of community work experience program employment shall be covered by the participant's existing medicaid coverage. If a community work experience program participant is unable to work due to such an accident, his or her status shall be reviewed to determine whether he or she is eligible for an exemption from the limitation on aid to families with dependent children financial assistance.

(d) A community work experience program participant who becomes incapacitated for thirty days or more shall be eligible for aid to families with dependent children financial assistance for the duration of the incapacity, if otherwise eligible.

(e) Public assistance recipients who are not employed may meet their obligations under the job opportunities and basic skills training program and community work experience program by providing service to community-based services authorized by RCW 74.38.040 including the retired senior volunteer program. This option shall not alter the contract the recipient has with the state to search for and gain employment.

(f) Public assistance recipients who are not employed shall be permitted to meet their JOBS and community work experience program obligations by serving as instructional assistants and by delivering services and activities under RCW 28A.165.060. This option shall not alter the contract the recipient has with the state to search for and gain employment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The governor and the department of social and health services shall seek all necessary exemptions and waivers from and amendments to federal statutes, rules, and regulations and shall report to the appropriate committees in the house of representatives and senate quarterly on the efforts to secure the federal changes to permit full implementation of section 1 of this act at the earliest possible date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. In the event that the department of social and health services is not able to obtain the necessary exemptions, waivers, or amendments referred to in section 2 of this act before January 1, 1998, this act shall expire on that date and shall have no further force or effect.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1995.