SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6017

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Children & Family Services & Corrections, March 5, 2003

Ways & Means, April 3, 2003

Title: An act relating to modifying general assistance provisions.

Brief Description: Modifying general assistance provisions.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens and Hargrove.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Children & Family Services & Corrections: 3/4/03, 3/5/03 [DPS-WM, DNP].

Ways & Means: 3/27/03, 4/3/03 [DP2S, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6017 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Stevens, Chair; Parlette, Vice Chair; Carlson, Deccio and Hargrove.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators McAuliffe and Regala.

Staff: Edith Rice (786-7444)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6017 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Rossi, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Hale, Honeyford, Johnson, Parlette, Roach, Sheahan and Winsley.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators Brown, Doumit, Fairley, Fraser, Poulsen, Regala and B. Sheldon.

Staff: Kirstan Arestad (786-7708)

Background: General Assistance - Unemployable (GA-U) is a state-funded program that provides cash and medical benefits for individuals who are physically and/or mentally incapacitated and unemployable for 90 days from the date of application.

Individuals must be 18 years old, unable to work, meet income, citizenship and residency requirements and must agree to an assessment.

General Assistance - Interim (GA-U/X) provides the same benefits but for clients who appear to meet Supplemental Security Income (SSI, a federally funded program) disability criteria and whose medical condition will prevent employment for at least 12 months. The Department of Social and Health Services helps these recipients apply for SSI benefits. If they qualify, the state is reimbursed for the interim cash assistance, back to the date of application.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill: The state-funded general assistance program is time- limited to six months within any 24 consecutive months for individuals who have disabilities lasting a minimum of 90 days and a lifetime limit of 12 months for non-citizens who are limited to or barred for a time from receiving federal assistance.

Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: The second substitute time-limits the general assistance program while the substitute proposes eliminating the cash benefits portion of the general assistance program for all qualified individuals.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Language is added to allow the Department of Social and Health Services to provide medical benefits to GA-U recipients. Language requiring legal immigrants to apply for naturalization is deleted.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on March 4, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect July 1, 2003.

Testimony For (Children & Family Services & Corrections): None.

Testimony Against (Children & Family Services & Corrections): People who will be affected by this cut in services are those who have nowhere else to turn to. These are the last services that should be cut; we would hope you could find funds elsewhere to address the budget shortage.

Testified (Children & Family Services & Corrections): Jule Watts, Washington Association of Churches (con); Kevin Glackin-Coley, Washington State Catholic Conference (con); Remy Trupin, United Way of King County (con).

Testimony For (Ways & Means): None.

Testimony Against (Ways & Means): People who will be affected by this cut in services are those who have no where else to turn to. These are the last services that should be cut. We would hope you could find funds elsewhere to address the budget shortage.

Testified (Ways & Means): Jule Watts, Washington Association of Churches (con); Kevin Glackin-Coley, Washington State Catholic Conference (con); Remy Trupin, United Way of King County (con).