FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2367

                          C 10 L 00

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Including higher education programs in the work activity definition.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Kenney, Carlson, Tokuda, Edmonds, Lovick, Stensen, Lantz, Veloria, Doumit, Dickerson, Kagi, Murray, Wolfe, Ogden, Schual‑Berke, Kessler, Regala and Santos).

House Committee on Children & Family Services

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:

Under the WorkFirst program, recipients of temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) must engage in work activities.  Work-related activities that fulfill this requirement include subsidized paid employment, on-the-job training, and some vocational education.

Work-study is a need-based financial aid program that subsidizes the wages of students employed through the program.  Under the state program, employers who hire work-study participants get partially reimbursed by the state for the students' wages.  If it is an on-campus employer, the employer gets reimbursed up to 80 percent of the wages paid if it is an off-campus employer, the employer gets reimbursed up to 65 percent of the wages paid.  Employers are prohibited from displacing existing employees in order to employ a work-study student and receive the subsidy.

Internships and practicums are supervised practical training.  In vocational programs most degree and certificate programs require some form of an internship or practicum.  The terms of the internship and practicum, including the hours, the length, and whether it is paid or unpaid, are up to the individual institutions of higher education.

Summary of Bill:

The types of activities that fulfill the work requirement under TANF are expanded.  On-the-job training has been further defined to include some internships and practicums.  To qualify, the internship or practicum must be a requirement of completing a course of vocational training or obtaining a license or certificate in a high demand field.  The Employment Security Department must define what constitutes a "high demand" field.  The internship or practicum may not exceed 12 months in duration.  Also, state and federal work-study will fulfill the work requirement; however, such work study is limited to a maximum of 24 months.

Votes on Final Passage:

House970

Senate3213

Effective:  June 8, 2000