SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 2818

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          Health & Long-Term Care, February 26, 1998

Title:  An act relating to household members excluded from WorkFirst assistance units.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to WorkFirst assistance units.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Cooke and Boldt).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long‑Term Care:  2/24/98, 2/26/98 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Deccio, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Benton and Strannigan.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786-7472)

Background:  In making welfare eligibility determinations, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) looks at the income and assets of household members.   If there are household members ineligible for assistance because of alienage, DSHS currently allocates a portion of that ineligible family member's income to the whole family, when calculating grant amounts.  The full income is not allocated, due to the assuming that the ineligible person will utilize some of the income for their own support.

Summary of Bill:  For determination of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families eligibility, if a member of the household is ineligible due to alienage, DSHS allocates half of the ineligible person's earning to the assistance unit (the family on welfare).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Families on assistance who have a resident illegal immigrant in the household should not receive more favorable treatment than those with legal immigrants.

Testimony Against:  DSHS is already working on correcting any inequity administratively.  This bill would unfairly harm children who are citizens.

Testified:  Rep. Suzette Cooke, prime sponsor (pro); Liz Dunbar, DSHS; George LeClair, Children=s Alliance; Eric Paige, WA State Catholic Cong. (con).