HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 HB 1863

Title:  An act relating to child care.

Brief Description:  Training public assistance recipients to be child care workers.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cooke, Dickerson, Boldt, McDonald, Hatfield, Gombosky, Wood, Regala, Blalock, Conway, Costa, Pennington, Anderson, Kessler and Ogden.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Meeting Date:  February 18, 1997.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  David Knutson  (786-7146).

Background:  Recipients of cash assistance may volunteer to work in a licensed child care facility as an approved community service option.  The Office of Child Care Policy provides grants to child care resource and referral programs.  State grants fund information about child care providers, recruitment and training of child care providers, support services, maintain a state-wide child care licensing data bank, and other functions.  State grant  funds are not currently targeted exclusively at low-income working families.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Social and Health Services is required to train 250 recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to become child care providers or child care teachers.  State grant funds administered by the Office of Child Care Policy may be used to pay for the training.  State grant funds will be targeted to assist low-income families with incomes at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty line.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 17, 1997.

Effective Date:  July 1, 1997.