AN ACT Relating to the family independence program; and amending RCW 74.21.020 and 74.21.140.

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

Sec. 1. Section 2, chapter 434, Laws of 1987 and RCW 74.21.020 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature hereby establishes as state policy the goal of economic independence for employable adults receiving public assistance, through employment, training, and education. The legislature finds that children living in families with incomes below the needs standard have reduced opportunities for physical and intellectual development. A family's economic future is frequently not improved by the current program.

Therefore, in order to break the cycle of poverty and dependence, a family independence program is established. Participating families are to receive benefits under this program at no less than they would otherwise have been entitled to receive.

The legislature finds that the state has a vital interest in ensuring that citizens who are in economic need are provided appropriate financial assistance. It is the intent of the legislature to maintain the existing partnership between state and federal government and that this program remain part of the federal welfare entitlement program. The legislature seeks federal authority for a five-year demonstration project and recognizes that waivers and congressional action may be required to achieve our purpose. The legislature does not seek a block grant approach to welfare.

The legislature recognizes that any program intended to assist new and current public assistance recipients will be more likely to succeed when the state, private sector, and recipients work together.

The legislature also recognizes the value of building on successful programs that utilize the development of networking and mentoring strategies to assist public assistance recipients to gain self-sufficiency. The legislature further encourages public-private cooperation in the areas of job readiness training, education, job training, and work opportunities.

The legislature finds that the goal of economic independence requires increased efforts to assist parents in exercising their children's right to economic support from absent parents.

The legislature recognizes the substantial participation in the workforce of women with preschool children, and the difficulty in reentering employment after long absences.

The legislature further recognizes that public assistance recipients can play a major role in setting their own goals.

The objectives of this chapter are to assure that: The maximum number of recipients of public assistance become independent and self-sufficient through employment, training, and education; caseloads be correspondingly reduced on a long-term basis; financial incentives be available to recipients participating in job readiness, education, training, and work programs; the number of children growing up in poverty be substantially reduced; and unemployable recipients be afforded a basic level of financial and medical assistance consistent with the state's financial capabilities.

Sec. 2. Section 14, chapter 434, Laws of 1987 and RCW 74.21.140 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) By January 1, 1988, the executive committee shall submit to the legislature:

(a) A child-care plan, which may include creative solutions to assist enrollees in making child-care arrangements;

(b) In consultation with the superintendent of public instruction, a plan for assisting high school students who are parents or pregnant to remain in school or complete their high school education;

(d) An employment plan for enrollees; and

(e) A plan for phased-in implementation of the family independence program.

(2) By January 1, 1988, the legislative budget committee, after consultation with the executive committee, shall submit to the legislature:

(a) An evaluation plan satisfactory to the federal government, including a plan for analysis, within available funds, of:

(i) The costs and effectiveness of the family independence program;

(ii) The extent to which education and training opportunities have led to employment and economic independence;

(iii) The extent to which support services have been provided for such education and training opportunities;

(iv) ((~~The impact of support services, training opportunities, and employment on the well-being of the children and families of enrollees;~~

~~(v) The impact of the family independence program on the labor market opportunities available to nonenrollees;~~

~~(vi) The impact of the family independence program on the early childhood education assistance program;~~

~~(vii)~~)) A comparison of the family independence program enrollees with a sample of aid to families with dependent children recipients entering assistance between July 1, 1987, through June 30, 1988, to determine the characteristics of the caseloads of the family independence program and the aid to families with dependent children program, including demographic characteristics, employment, training, and educational histories, spells on assistance, and reasons for entry onto and exit from assistance;

((~~(viii)~~)) (v) Such administrative and operational factors as may be requested by the executive committee;

((~~(ix)~~)) (vi) A longitudinal study over time of a sample of public assistance recipients or persons at risk of becoming eligible for assistance, to determine the causes of public dependency and the impact of changes in the economy or of public programs on dependency, work, or other relevant behaviors of the sample population.

(3) The legislative budget committee shall cause the evaluation plan to be implemented subject to legislative approval in a manner that will insure the independence of the evaluation through appropriate arrangements, which may include contracts, with objective evaluators. The evaluation plan and all evaluation products shall receive the review and comment of evaluation advisory groups to be convened by the Washington institute of public policy and which include representatives of the executive committee, appropriate legislative committee staffs, persons from the state's higher education institutions, staff members of the department and the employment security department, recipients, and former recipients. The reviews shall consider relevance to state policy and budget concerns, methodological procedure, implementation, and results.

(4) The first report of this evaluation shall be submitted to the legislature no later than ((~~November 16, 1988~~)) .......... , and annually thereafter, with a final report due no later than November 15, 1993.