SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5155

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

         Labor & Workforce Development, March 2, 1999

Title:  An act relating to temporary assistance for needy families.

Brief Description:  Giving TANF recipients a priority in federal workforce investment act of 1998 programs.

Sponsors:  Senators Kohl‑Welles, Fairley, Brown and Patterson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor & Workforce Development:  1/26/99, 3/2/99 [DPS].

Ways & Means:  3/8/99.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5155 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Hochstatter, Kline, Oke and Wojahn.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786-7472)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Staff:  Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background:  Some legal immigrants qualify for state food assistance equivalent to what they would have received under the Federal Food Stamp Program.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Qualification of legal immigrants for state food assistance is clarified by deleting an obsolete reference to the federal Welfare Reform Act.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Prioritizing TANF recipients in workforce development programs is replaced with providing legal immigrants with state food assistance.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  It is a high priority to help those on welfare find work through inclusion in existing programs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Kohl-Welles, prime sponsor; Laurie Lippold, Children=s Home Society; Suzanne Dale, City of Seattle.