SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5660

BYSenators Niemi, Smith and Murray

Providing grants for child care resource and referral programs.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 7, 1989; February 28, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5660 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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

Senate Staff:Carol Pedigo (786-7417)

                  February 28, 1989

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 3, 1989; March 6, 1989

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5660 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, Lee, Matson, Moore, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Saling, Smith, Talmadge, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Jan Sharar (786-7715)

                  March 7, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 6, 1989

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.

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 original bill was not considered.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

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, 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.

$200,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Social and Health Services for start-up grants for new community resource and referral agencies and for operating costs for existing resource and referral agencies.  No more than $75,000 can be used for start-up grants.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SECOND SUBSTITUTE:

A clause is added as a new section making the act null and void if funding is not provided in the omnibus appropriations act.

Appropriation:    $200,000 from the general fund

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES:  Lonnie Johns-Brown, Washington State NOW, Child Care Works for Washington (pro); John Briehl, City of Tacoma (pro); Margie Reeves, Washington Association of Early Childhood Education (pro); Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United (pro); Karen Tvedt, DSHS Child Care Resources Coordinator

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  No one