HOUSE BILL REPORT

2SSB 5660

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Niemi, Smith and Murray)

Regarding child care resource and referral.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Padden, Raiter and Winsley.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass. (28)

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

House Staff:      Sandi Gray (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 6, 1989

BACKGROUND:

A child care resource coordinator was established in the Department of Social and Health Services in 1987. The coordinator was given the responsibility for administering grants to local communities to enable them to develop child care information and referral systems and for creating a data bank to provide information about all licensed child care providers in the state. 

After receiving input from numerous experts, including the Governor's Commission on Children, it was determined that localized data banks do a better job of providing residents with specific community oriented information and therefore they are preferable to a statewide referral data bank.

There are currently ten operating resource and referral programs in the state.  Each program is funded by a $5,000 federal pass through grant.  Most groups are only operating four hours per day and none are able to provide the type of quality information and assistance they believe was envisioned in the original concept for the program.

SUMMARY:

The Child Care Resources Coordinator of the Department of Social and Health Services is directed to establish a method for awarding grants up to $25,000 for new or existing child care resource and referral programs.

To qualify for a grant, the program must demonstrate how it will (1) provide parents with information on location of child care services and available subsidies, (2) carry out recruitment and training and provide support services to child care providers, (3) provide child care resource information to businesses, (4) advocate for increased public and private sector resources, and (5) provide technical assistance to employers regarding employee child care services.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS: None.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Human Services) Senator Niemi, Sponsor; Ruth Kagi, League of Women Voters, State Child Care Coordinating Committee; and Deborah Robins, Washington State Child Care Research and Referral

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Human Services) Local resource and referral systems are very important in providing the information necessary for parents to locate affordable, quality child care.  The local systems need additional resources in order to effectively fulfil their function.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.