S-4610

AN ACT Relating to increasing access to education for recipients of temporary assistance for needy families; amending RCW 74.08A.250; adding new sections to chapter 74.08A RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that recent studies show a powerful relationship between postsecondary education and an increase in lifetime earned income. Even just two years of college can equate to a quarter of a million dollar increase in lifetime income. A bachelor's degree can boost annual income seventy-three percent, compared to a high school degree. In addition, studies indicate that for individuals attending college, there is a correlation with improved health status, increased civic participation, improved savings rates, less reliance on government assistance, and improved quality of life for their children. Additionally, this correlates to increased tax revenues and reduced crime rates for society. The legislature finds that a relatively small number of those on welfare would qualify for college admission and benefit from completion of their higher education at a community, trade, or technical college, or other institute of higher education.

In 1999, the federal government adopted final regulations for temporary assistance for needy families, allowing expanded use of block grant and maintenance of effort funds. There is now no reason under federal guidelines why these funds cannot be used creatively for a variety of special approaches, to help poor families achieve true financial independence.

The legislature intends to provide selective access to postsecondary education for a limited number of qualified adult recipients of temporary assistance for needy families, while maintaining the emphasis on employment that is the hallmark of the WorkFirst program. The legislature intends to provide temporary assistance for needy families grants, including child care and tuition assistance, to a limited number of college-qualified individuals, with the goal of providing a means for highly motivated welfare recipients to successfully complete college, exit assistance, and secure careers to benefit themselves, their families, and society.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The department shall establish the ICAN program. The goal of the program is to help college-qualified parents who have dependent children in need and are eligible for temporary assistance for needy families receive up to four years of undergraduate education or training. Annually the department shall provide up to six hundred parents accepted into or enrolled at an institution of higher education in Washington state with a package of student aid that includes their temporary assistance for needy families cash grants, as well as the other support services provided to recipients of temporary assistance for needy families, including but not limited to medical assistance, child care, food stamps, tuition assistance based upon actual tuition or public higher education tuition rates, whichever is less, and other support services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 2 through 11 of this act.

(1) "ICAN program" means the independence through college for achievers in need program.

(2) "Institution of higher education" means the state research universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, the community colleges, the technical colleges, and private career schools, colleges, and universities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The ICAN program shall be supported from any of the following sources or combination of sources: (1) Funds other than those granted to the state under Title IV-A of the federal social security act or (2) temporary assistance for needy families block grant funds or (3) temporary assistance for needy families caseload savings, if the state funds used for this program meet the definition of state maintenance of effort under Title IV-A of the federal social security act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) Families that have participated for twelve months in the temporary assistance for needy families under this chapter may participate in the ICAN program as a work activity of the temporary assistance for needy families program. Eligibility for assistance, and the amount of assistance, shall be determined under criteria used in the temporary assistance for needy families program.

(2) The department shall assess the applicant to determine that the education and training sought by the applicant is likely to result in employment that provides the wages and benefits necessary for the applicant to support the applicant's family without public assistance.

(3) To the extent that funds are available, enrollment in the program shall be granted if the department determines that:

(a) The applicant does not possess the necessary skills to obtain employment that will enable that individual to support a family at seventy-five percent of the median family income in the state for a family of the same size as the applicant's family;

(b) Considering potential employment opportunities and local labor market conditions, the undergraduate education sought by the individual is likely to improve the ability of the family to be self-supporting; and

The applicant shall meet the requirements for the state need grant under RCW 28B.10.800 through 28B.10.820 and qualify for acceptance at and be admitted to an institution of higher education in the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The department shall work with other state, local, and private entities to provide career planning and counseling services to applicants for, and recipients of, assistance under sections 2 through 11 of this act to assist them in choosing an educational plan that is likely to lead to self-sufficiency, and provide to students who have begun an educational program assistance to overcome barriers to completing the program and becoming employed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Students receiving assistance under sections 2 through 11 of this act shall meet the following requirements:

(1) They must be accepted into a postsecondary program; and

(2) They must be enrolled full-time, with the expectation that they make satisfactory progress toward a degree, certificate, or license in a field likely to create a high probability of employment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The department shall inform all persons participating for twelve cumulative months in the temporary assistance for needy families program of the option to apply for the ICAN program and the criteria for acceptance. Recipients of temporary assistance for needy families who have already partially completed their postsecondary education will be encouraged to apply.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. To the extent permitted by federal law, assistance received under sections 2 through 11 of this act must be disregarded as income and excluded as a resource or asset to the same extent as assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families program, under this chapter, for the purposes of any state, federal, tribal, or municipal assistance program. Assistance received under sections 2 through 11 of this act must be treated in the same manner as assistance received under the temporary assistance for needy families program under this chapter for all tax purposes. Furthermore, the department shall implement the program so participants qualify for food stamps until completion of their degree or certificate.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. (1) The department shall contract with a public or private entity for the performance of an outcome study of program participants. The study shall, at a minimum:

(a) Track degree or certificate completion by participants;

(b) Report on wage progression of participants;

(d) Quantify the projected increase in lifetime earnings of program graduates; and

(e) Report on self-identified enhancers and barriers to success in postsecondary education experience by the study population.

(2) The results of the outcome study shall be reported annually, no later than January 15th, beginning in 2001, to the governor and to appropriate committees of the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Participation in the ICAN program shall be incorporated in the recipient's individual personal responsibility plan, in a manner that clearly indicates that satisfactory progress in college is the recipient's work activity and responsibility.

Sec. 12. RCW 74.08A.250 and 1997 c 58 s 311 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, as used in this chapter, "work activity" means:

(1) Unsubsidized paid employment in the private or public sector;

(2) Subsidized paid employment in the private or public sector;

(3) Work experience, including work associated with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing, if sufficient paid employment is not available;

(4) On-the-job training;

(5) Job search and job readiness assistance;

(6) Community service programs;

(7) Vocational educational training, not to exceed twelve months with respect to any individual;

(8) Job skills training directly related to employment;

(9) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a GED;

(10) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a GED, in the case of a recipient who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate;

(11) The provision of child care services to an individual who is participating in a community service program; ((~~and~~))

(12) Services required by the recipient under RCW 74.08.025(3) and 74.08A.010(3) to become employable; and

(13) Participation in the independence through college for achievers in need program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. The department shall adopt rules to implement sections 2 through 11 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. Sections 2 through 11 and 13 of this act are each added to chapter 74.08A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and this finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the agencies concerned. Rules adopted under this act must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.