SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 2610

BYHouse Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Sayan, Moyer, Scott, Winsley, Leonard, Wineberry, Anderson, Cooper, Raiter, Brekke and Belcher)

Revising provisions for public assistance.

House Committe on Human Services

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 20, 1990; February 21, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Smith, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Stratton, Vognild.

Senate Staff:Lidia Mori (786-7755)

                  February 26, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES, FEBRUARY 21, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Many high school students do not graduate until after their 19th birthday.  Payments for aid to families with dependent children end at age 18.  This may force some students to quit school and go to work.  When homeless families do not pay for housing, they receive a reduced amount of aid to families for dependent children.  Children who live with court appointed guardians are not currently eligible to receive aid to families with dependent children payments.  Recipients of aid to families with dependent children receive grant payments based on the income they earned two months earlier.  If a recipient's income decreases they do not receive a full grant payment for two months.

SUMMARY:

Income Assistance payments to high school students are continued up to age 20.  A recipient of aid to families with dependent children who is homeless or receives supplied shelter is provided a full grant payment.  Children who live with court appointed guardians who are eligible for aid to families with dependent children will receive a grant payment.  A recipient of aid to families with dependent children who experiences a loss of income will have his or her grant payment adjusted without waiting two months.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS:

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is directed to contract with eligible providers for specialized child care and respite care for children of homeless parents.  A minimum of $25,000 per fiscal year is allocated to providers in any county that had at least 100 children under the age of five served in emergency shelters the preceding year.  If a county had less than 100 children under the age of five served in emergency shelters the preceding year, the minimum allocation is $10,000.  Providers are required to demonstrate that licensed child care and respite care are available for children under the age of six.  Homeless parents of children are afforded an appropriate place to leave their children while seeking or maintaining employment, attending treatment, searching for housing or needing respite.

The child care for homeless children program will be reviewed by the Senate Children and Family Services Committee on or before January 10, 1992, and will terminate on June 30, 1992.

The provisions in the bill are made contingent on funding in the budget.

Senate Committee - Testified: Elizabeth Schott, Evergreen Legal Services; Cris Phelps, Washington State Coalition for the Homeless; Martin Luther King Center; Bernice Morehead, Dir. for Income Assist.; Tony Lee, Washington Association of Churches