FINAL BILL REPORT

2SSB 5660

                              C 126 L 89

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

Regarding child care resource and referral.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services and Committee on Ways & Means

House Committe on Human Services

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Office of Child Care Resource Coordinator was established by legislative mandate 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.

None of the currently operating resource and referral programs in the state are operating full time and none can afford to provide the type of quality information and assistance they believe was envisioned in the original concept for the system.

SUMMARY:

The Child Care Resource 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, services and subsidies of child care providers, (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.

The act is null and void if funding is not provided in the 1989 omnibus appropriations act.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   47    0

     House 95  1

EFFECTIVE:This act is null and void since no appropriation was made in the budget.