2SSB 6016

SENATE BILL REPORT
2SSB 6016

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Title: An act relating to good cause reasons for failure to participate in WorkFirst program components.

Brief Description: Concerning good cause reasons for failure to participate in WorkFirst program components.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Regala and Kohl-Welles).

Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 2/22/07, 2/23/07 [DPS-WM, DNP, w/oRec].

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6016 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Stevens, Ranking Minority Member; Marr and McAuliffe.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senator Brandland.

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6016 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Brandland, Fairley, Hatfield, Hobbs, Keiser, Kohl-Welles, Oemig, Rasmussen, Regala, Rockefeller and Tom.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senators Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Honeyford, Parlette, Roach and Schoesler.

Background: As a condition of receiving federal funds for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), states are required to meet work participation rates for those families receiving TANF funds. Work participation rates are determined by dividing the number of families receiving TANF that are engaged in work activities by the total number of families receiving TANF.

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) did not change the work participation rates, but made significant modifications to how the rate is calculated. First, a credit to the caseload was previously allowed for the reduction in the total caseload since the creation of the TANF block grant. This credit now only applies to reductions in caseloads since 2005. In short, the total caseload (denominator) of the equation is now much larger. Second, qualifying work activities are defined much more narrowly under the DRA, making the numerator much smaller using existing activities.

Federal regulation specifically allows states to exclude families in which a single custodial parent is caring for a child less than one year old from the work participation rate calculation. States may apply this exclusion on a case-by-case basis for families with a work-eligible individual up to a maximum of 12 months for the individual's lifetime.

Under Washington law, a "good cause" reason for a TANF recipient's failure to participate in Workfirst program components include cases in which the recipient is a parent with a child under the age of one year, except that when the child reaches the age of three months, the recipient must participate in one of the following activities for up to 20 hours per week:
   1)   instruction or training which has the purpose of improving parenting skills or child well       being;
   2)    pre-employment or job readiness training;
   3)    course study leading to a high school diploma or GED; or
   4)    community service volunteer activity.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill: A parent with a child under the age of one year who is a TANF recipient has a good cause reason for the failure to participate in a Workfirst program, except that when the child is six months old, the parent must participate in certain activities. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) may require any recipient with a child under the age of one year whose comprehensive evaluation indicates a need for mental health, alcohol, or drug treatment to cooperate with that treatment, as appropriate, up to 20 hours per week. A recipient may participate in the Work First program on a voluntary basis.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Human Services & Corrections): PRO: It is difficult for parents to participate in programming during the first year of a child's life due to the health of the child and the child's development. This bill would allow a parent to stay home with that child for the first year of the child's life. The cost of child care is an additional barrier. The state can accommodate this change within the parameters of the federal law.

Persons Testifying (Human Services & Corrections): PRO: Robin Zukoski, Columbia Legal Services; Rachel Frazier, Welfare Rights Organizing Coalition.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Ways & Means): PRO: This bill exempts single parents of infants from work participation, up to the time the infant is six months old. It does not extend the five-year time limit on benefits. This bill also contains a provision that if the welfare enrollee has shown the need for mental health or drug and alcohol treatment, that it be recognized as participation for up to 20 hours per week. Child care will be available if the parent is participating in treatment or voluntarily working. However, infant child care is the most expensive type of care, on average $1,000 per month. It is extremely difficult to find and the subsidy rates are low.

Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): PRO: Lonnie Johns-Brown, National Organization of Women.

House Amendment(s): A parent who is a recipient of TANF and who has a child between the ages of six months and one year is no longer required to participate in certain work-related activities.

Domestic violence services and parenting education or parenting skills training are added to those services that a recipient of TANF with a child under the age of one year must participate in if a need is indicated by a comprehensive evaluation of the parent.

DSHS must provide information regarding the availability of home visitation programs to TANF caseworkers who will inform TANF clients with children under the age of one year of the availability of such services. If desired by the parent, TANF caseworkers will facilitate appropriate referrals to home visitation service providers.

The good cause exemption for a parent with a child under the age of one year is limited to a maximum of 12 months over the parent's lifetime.