Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee

HB 1914

Brief Description:  Restricting the use of funds for the Washington WorkFirst program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Boldt, Clements, McMorris, Alexander and Pflug.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires the Legislature to appropriate the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funding in the budget bill.

Hearing Date:  2/21/01

Staff:  Heather Flodstrom (786‑7391).

Background: 

In 1997 the Legislature enacted Washington=s WorkFirst program and developed outcome measures for the program.  The WorkFirst program is funded by federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funding.  These two sources of funding constitute the ?welfare box.@

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is allowed to spend funds from the welfare box in any manner that effectively accomplishes the outcome measures set by the Legislature.  The Legislature is required to appropriate the full amount of funding within the box.

If there is any surplus TANF or MOE funding available due to reduced caseloads, the Governor implicitly has the authority to reinvest surplus funding into programs that would further accomplish the outcome measures set by the Legislature, even though the Legislature did not expressly appropriate funding for those programs.

Summary of Bill: 

Authority to direct expenditures in the welfare box is expressly given to the Legislature.  All expenditures must be appropriated in the budget bill and are subject to any conditions contained in the biennial or supplemental operating budgets.

The DSHS is required to spend funds from the welfare box in a manner that effectively accomplishes the outcome measures set by the Legislature.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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