HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1582

As Amended by the Senate

BYHouse Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Cole, Peery, Ebersole, Prentice, Todd, Jones, Scott, Leonard, Valle, Rasmussen, P. King, Pruitt, Jacobsen, Appelwick, Anderson, Winsley, R. Fisher, Wang, Wineberry, R. King, Belcher, Rust, H. Myers Crane, Phillips and Brekke)

Establishing a before and after school child care pilot program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Jones, P. King, Phillips, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (4)

      Signed by Representatives Fuhrman, Holland, Horn and Rayburn.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (23)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Dorn, Hine, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 9, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Numerous sources have reported on the difficulty faced by parents in finding safe and reliable child care.  This problem is even more difficult for the low- income family that has a limited amount to be spent on this type of service.

Currently, most school district before- and after-school child care programs are not licensed as child care providers through the Department of Social and Health Services.  As a result, low-income parents who are eligible for state subsidies for child care cannot use these subsidies for the school district programs.

SUMMARY:

If a low-income family is eligible for child care before and after school, child care programs provided by school districts shall not be required to meet the licensure requirements for such programs.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  A new section is added requiring the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt minimum standards for before-and-after school child care programs operated by school districts.  The standard should include staff qualifications, child to adult ratio, facility requirements and program content.  The standards shall be developed in consultation with the Department of Social and Health Services.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 6, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education) Representative Grace Cole; Vikke Pierson, Childcare Works for Washington; Lonnie Johns-Brown, National Organization for Women; Mike Von Rodgers, YMCA of Olympia; Karen Keiser, Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO; and Marie Reeves, Washington Association for the Education of Young Children.

(Appropriations) Selina Chow, City of Seattle and Child Care Works for Washington; Pat Thibideau, Washington Women United; Representative June Leonard.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education) The need of low income families to find safe care for their children is a real need in our society.  This type of program is currently operating in 11 schools in the Olympia School District.  The program would provide cost free care for families living at or below the poverty level.  In Olympia, the YMCA has tried to provide this care by providing scholarships for low income families. This is an efficient and cost effective method of providing safe care for our children.

(Appropriations) Children need supervision before and after school, and many parents cannot afford to pay for such care.  Often, discipline problems can be related to lack of adult contact and supervision.  The bill is also good for parents' employers.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 86; Nays 4; Absent 2; Excused 6

Voting Nay: Representatives Chandler, Fuhrman, Padden and Wolfe

Absent:     Representatives Appelwick and Locke

Excused:    Representatives Day, Dellwo, Hankins, Sayan, S. Wilson and Wineberry