S-4986.1

SENATE BILL 6575

BySenators Darneille, Nguyen, Wilson, C., Cleveland, Hasegawa, and Saldaña

AN ACT Relating to creating the economic assistance reinvestment account; and adding a new section to chapter 74.08A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.08A RCW to read as follows:

(1) The economic assistance reinvestment account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Moneys in the account may be expended solely for expanding access to the temporary assistance for needy families program with priority given first to:

(a) Those who are homeless as set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11431 et seq.; and

(b) Those who are at substantial risk of losing stable housing or housing support services as described in RCW 43.185C.220.

(2) Revenues to the economic assistance reinvestment account consist of:

(a) Savings to the state general fund resulting from reductions in temporary assistance for needy families caseloads and per capita costs, as calculated and transferred into the account under this section; and

(b) Any other public or private funds appropriated to or deposited in the account.

(3)(a) The department, in collaboration with the office of financial management and the caseload forecast council, shall develop a methodology for calculating the savings under this section. The methodology must be used for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium, and for each biennium thereafter. The methodology must establish a baseline for calculating savings. The savings must be based on actual caseload and per capita expenditures. By December 1, 2020, the department shall submit the proposed methodology to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature. The methodology is deemed approved unless the legislature enacts legislation to modify or reject the methodology.

(b) The department shall use the methodology established in (a) of this subsection to calculate savings to the state general fund for transfer into the economic assistance reinvestment account in fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter. Savings calculated by the department under this section are not subject to RCW 43.79.460. The department shall report the amount of the state general fund savings achieved to the office of financial management and the fiscal committees of the legislature at the end of each fiscal year. The office of financial management shall provide notice to the state treasurer of the amount of state general fund savings, as calculated by the department, for transfer into the economic assistance reinvestment account.

(c) Nothing in this section prohibits:

(i) The caseload forecast council from forecasting the temporary assistance for needy families caseload under RCW 43.88C.010; or

(ii) The department from including maintenance funding in its budget submittal for caseload costs that exceed the baseline established in (a) of this subsection.

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