HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2818

                      As Passed House:

                      February 16, 1998

Title:  An act relating to household members excluded from WorkFirst assistance units.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to WorkFirst assistance units.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Cooke and Boldt).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  1/27/98, 2/6/98 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/16/98, 58-40.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Cooke, Chairman; Boldt, Vice Chairman; Bush, Vice Chairman; Kastama, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ballasiotes; Carrell; Gombosky and McDonald.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Tokuda, Ranking Minority Member; Dickerson and Wolfe.

Staff:  Douglas Ruth (786-7134).

Background: If a parent in a family receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is not in the country legally, any income they earn is not counted when the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) determines the amount of the family's grant payment.

The income of legal immigrants and citizens receiving TANF is taken into account when the DSHS determines the family's grant amount.  However, fifty percent of the family's earnings may be deducted from that income before the grant amount is calculated.

Summary of Bill: For purposes of calculating TANF grant amounts, the income earned by a parent who is not in the country legally will be treated the same as that of a parent legally in the country.  Half of the income earned by the parent will be counted in the grant amount calculation.  In calculating the  amount, the DSHS may make allowable deductions from the parent's income, other than a deduction for the support of the parent. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 3, 1998.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against: The potential impact of the bill is to treat aliens inequitably.  There is no reason to treat them differently.  The department currently allocates some of an ineligible family member's income to the whole family when calculating grant amounts.  The full income is not allocated because it is assumed that the ineligible family member will use some of his/her income for his/her own subsistence.

Testified:  David Della, CAPAA (con); Manuel Romero, Hispanic Affairs (con); and Liz Dunbar, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services (concerns).