HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1767

BYRepresentatives Hine, Brough, Wang, Miller, Wineberry, Leonard, Belcher, Brekke, Dellwo, Lewis, Crane, R. King, Anderson, P. King, Winsley, Todd, Locke and Ebersole

Providing for the establishment of state child care policy.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Anderson, Leonard, Moyer, H. Sommers and Sutherland.

House Staff:John B. Welsh, Jr.  (786-7133)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES FEBRUARY 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Child care services are provided through a number of state agencies.  The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) reimburses day care center providers for services provided to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and for working parents and teen parents.  In addition, the DSHS provides an income disregard for working parents on Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).  Reimbursement rates to day-care providers currently amount to about sixty percent of actual costs of providing services.  The number of child care centers serving these groups are considered inadequate to fulfill the employment opportunities.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: A state policy declaration is enacted into law which recognizes the family as the most important social and economic unit of society for child rearing; promotes the development of quality day care services; promotes the establishment of standards for day care services, training of providers, and adequate salary levels; and fosters the economic development of the community.

A child care coordinating committee is established to provide coordination and communication between state agencies responsible for child care and early education. The membership, from seventeen to thirty members, is to be representative of state government, child care providers, child care experts, school districts and teachers, a parent education specialist, health professional, citizens, labor, "head-start", employers and parents. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is to make the appointment of private members and provide staff to the committee, which is entitled to per diem reimbursements.  The Committee is to select its own officers and appoint successor membership.

The duties of the committee include reviewing programs annually; making recommendations to the agencies and the legislature for maximizing funding; reviewing the child care subsidy system by January 1, 1989 for reimbursing providers for actual costs; reviewing the child care expansion grant program; and reviewing alternate models for child care service systems.

Declaring a shortage of child care, a child care expansion grant fund is created in the DSHS.  The grants limited to $10,000, are awarded to persons or organizations needing assistance in starting a child care center, or to existing child care providers for capital improvements for handicapped children, sick children or night time care.

Amounts expended by day care providers for capital and operation expenses for in-site employee facilities may be deducted from business and occupation taxes.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  A representative from a higher education child care provider is added to the coordinating committee.  A plan to increase the level of reimbursement rates to child care providers by 1992 is deleted.  Eligibility for receiving a grant to start a center is extended to organizations and schools.  The Department of Economic Development must screen grant applications for fire safety.  The deduction from business and occupation taxes from capital and operation costs is not extended to taxpayers who cease utilizing this investment within 5 years.

An appropriation of $200,000 is added.

Appropriation:    $200,000.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 28, 1988.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Karen Tvedt, Department of Social and Health Services; Jean Ameluxen, Department of Community Development; Selena Chow, City of Seattle; Mary Frost, Department of Community Development; Margie Reeves, Washington Association for the Education of Young Children; Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United; and Lonnie Johns-Brown, Washington State National Organization for Women.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    There is a recognized shortage of child care centers, which are not reimbursed for services at actual costs.  Child care services offered by the state cuts across a number of agencies, and a coordinating committee is necessary to prevent duplication and fragmentation of services and identify needs.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.