HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1327

As Reported by House Committee On:

Human Services & Early Learning

Title: An act relating to providing services and supports to parenting minors to improve educational attainment.

Brief Description: Providing services and supports to parenting minors to improve educational attainment.

Sponsors: Representatives Kilduff, Frame, Leavitt, Jinkins, Goodman, Ortiz-Self, Callan, Ryu, Stanford, Pollet and Dolan.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Human Services & Early Learning: 1/30/19, 2/1/19 [DP].

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Senn, Chair; Callan, Vice Chair; Frame, Vice Chair; Goodman, Kilduff, Lovick and Ortiz-Self.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Eslick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; McCaslin, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Corry and Klippert.

Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Dent, Ranking Minority Member; Griffey.

Staff: Dawn Eychaner (786-7135).

Background:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federal block grant that provides temporary cash assistance, subsidized childcare, and work programs for low-income families.

In order to receive TANF benefits, a minor who is pregnant or a parent, and who has not been emancipated by a court, must meet program eligibility requirements including:

• making satisfactory progress in a training program leading to a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate, unless the minor has an infant less than 12 weeks old living in the home;

• living in a situation approved by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS); and

• having a protective payee set up by the DSHS. A protective payee is a person who manages the client's cash benefits to provide for basic needs. The protective payee may be a DSHS employee or another person selected by the DSHS.

If a minor parent lives with a parent or guardian, the income of the parent or guardian is counted when determining the minor's eligibility. If a minor is applying for benefits separately for themselves and their child, only a portion of the parent or guardian's income is considered when determining financial eligibility.

If a minor does not meet the eligibility requirements, the minor's child may still be eligible for a child-only TANF grant if the household meets all other eligibility criteria.

Working Connections Child Care.

The Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) program is a subsidized child care program administered by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the DSHS. To receive authorizations for 12 months of child care subsidy, eligible families must have household incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level at the time of application.

Depending on income and household size, the consumer may be required to pay a copayment to their child care provider. A consumer pays the minimum copayment when he or she is a minor parent and is either a TANF recipient or part of his or her parent or relative's TANF assistance unit. The minimum copayment is $15 per month.

Both parents, if living in the household, must be working or participating in a DSHS-approved activity. For a minor, approved activities may include satisfactory attendance at a high school or a high school equivalency program. Eligible consumers who participate in 110 hours or more of approved activities per month are authorized for full-day or half-day child care depending upon the age of the child in care. A non-school age child is eligible for full-time care.

The WCCC program is partially funded by the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The CCDF rules allow states to designate certain vulnerable populations as "in need of protective services." Work and income requirements may be waived for these populations. Washington's definition of protective services includes families who are homeless during a designated four-month "grace period" adopted in rule, children who are homeless because of a disaster, children receiving family assessment response services, and children in the parental control of a non-needy relative (NNR). An NNR is an adult relative caring for an eligible child in the absence of a biological, adoptive, or stepparent.

Graduation, Reality, and Dual-Roles Skills.

Graduation, Reality, and Dual-Roles Skills (GRADS) programs are available for pregnant and parenting students in 23 school districts in Washington. The GRADS program curriculum is set by the school district and must be based on standards set by the National Association of State Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences that are intended to prepare students for family and work life.

In 2014 Washington received a federal grant from the Office of Adolescent Health of $6 million over four years for GRADS program implementation, teacher training and support, and other program components. In 2016 the Washington Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) published an outcome evaluation and benefit-cost analysis for the GRADS program that estimated the net per-student cost to provide GRADS at $7,588 and a per-student benefit of $22,839, for a cost-benefit ratio of approximately $3 to $1.

School District Transportation.

School districts may provide for the transportation of school children and school employees using school buses and drivers hired by the district, commercially chartered bus services, or through a pupil transportation services contract with a private nongovernmental entity. School districts may, when approved by the superintendent of an educational service district, approve payment for individual transportation arrangements for an eligible student.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulate motor vehicle restraint systems for children, as well as safety requirements for school buses. The FMVSS requires small school buses and school-chartered buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less to have lap/shoulder seat belt assemblies. For large school busses with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, seat belts are not required under federal rules.

State law requires children under the age of 8 be restrained in a child passenger restraint system meeting the FMVSS when being transported in a motor vehicle that is required to be equipped with passenger seatbelts. This requirement does not apply to school buses.

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Summary of Bill:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

A minor who is a parent may receive the maximum TANF grant, regardless of the applicant's income. The minor must be actively progressing toward meeting education requirements. If the minor lives with a parent or guardian who is not receiving TANF benefits, the income and resources of the parent or guardian of the minor may not be considered when determining eligibility. The income and resources of the natural or adoptive parent or stepparent of the applicant's child may not be considered when determining eligibility.

Working Connections Child Care.

Within existing resources, the DCYF must authorize full-day WCCC program benefits during the school year for a minor parent who is attending high school or working toward completing a General Educational Development program. The minor must participate in the approved activity for 110 hours each month and have a household income of no more than 85 percent of the state median income.

The DCYF must designate children of minor parents as a "vulnerable population" in need of protective services pursuant to federal CCDF rules. When determining eligibility, the DCYF may not consider the availability of the other biological parent when authorizing care and may not require the minor parent to pay a copayment greater than the minimum established in rule for the program.

Graduation, Reality, and Dual-Roles Skills.

Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction must award competitive grants to school districts for establishing a GRADS program. Grant awards must be used for start-up costs for opening a child care center on school premises, GRADS program staff salaries, support group facilitation, mentoring, or other GRADS program operation expenses.

The WSIPP must evaluate the effectiveness of the GRADS program grants, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, and assess student outcomes five years after the students' participation. The WSIPP must report these outcomes to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2030.

School District Transportation.

By July 1, 2020, at the request of an eligible student, a school district may allow the student to transport an infant on a school bus or other district transportation. The infant must be transported in a rear-facing child restraint system.

If the district denies a student request to transport the infant by bus, the district must authorize other arrangements for the student's transportation. An eligible student is defined as any student served by the transportation program of a school district or compensated for individual transportation arrangements whose route stop is outside the walk area for a student's school, except if the student to be transported is disabled.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.

Effective Date: This bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed, except for sections 2 and 3, relating to TANF and WCCC eligibility, which take effect May 1, 2020.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) There is a body of research on GRADS programs showing a $3 to $1 return on investment for the program and increased graduation rates for participants. Children of minor parents are faced with additional challenges and are often not set up for success. Teen parents and their kids will be helped in overcoming challenges, family stability will be promoted, and state funds will be wisely invested. The GRADS grant program will help students earn their high school diplomas. The GRADS program has been studied, and this will ensure another evaluation to ensure the program is still working. This is common sense in terms of economics and is an effective intergenerational poverty strategy, helping to ensure our minor parents are helped toward self-sufficiency. The state should act as an interrupter to stop the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Kilduff, prime sponsor; Samantha Sanders, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Laurie Lippold, Partners for Our Children; and Paul Benz, Faith Action Network.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.