HB 2643 - DIGEST

     Finds that:  (1) The lack of a reliable telephone number for receiving calls presents significant barriers to obtaining employment, housing, medical care, and social services;

     (2) assisting current and former welfare recipients, other low-wage workers, and homeless people to find employment, housing, medical care, and social services is critical to the success of the state's welfare reform efforts; and

     (3) community service voice mail has a proven record of improving recipients' success in finding employment and housing, and in accessing medical care and social services compared to clients without access to reliable telephone numbers.