HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1936

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                 Children & Family Services

Title:  An act relating to employability screens for recipients of temporary assistance for needy families.

Brief Description:  Requiring employability screening for recipients of temporary assistance for needy families.

Sponsors:  Representatives Tokuda, Boldt, D. Sommers and Santos.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/22/99, 2/25/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Recipients of temporary assistance for needy families will undergo an employability screen to determine whether they should engage in a job search or be immediately assessed for barriers to employment.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives D. Sommers, Republican Co-Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co-Chair; Boldt, Republican Vice Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Campbell; Carrell; Dickerson; Eickmeyer; Kastama and Pflug.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

Currently, all recipients of temporary assistance for needy families are required to engage in an immediate job search after being determined eligible for the program.  If they are unsuccessful at a job search, they are assessed to identify their barriers to employment.

Summary of Bill:

All recipients approved to receive temporary assistance for needy families will be subject to an employability screen prior to engaging in a job search.  If the screen determines the recipient is unemployable, they will skip the job search and be immediately screened to identify their specific barriers to employment.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Some recipients of temporary assistance for needy families have obvious barriers to employment.  They should not be required to go through a job search if they have a clear barrier to employment.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified:  (In support)  Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society.