CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SENATE BILL 5929

67TH LEGISLATURE

2022 REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILL 5929

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

BySenators C. Wilson and Nguyen; by request of Department of Social and Health Services

AN ACT Relating to changing the membership of the legislative-executive WorkFirst poverty reduction oversight task force; and amending RCW 74.08A.505 and 74.08A.510.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 74.08A.505 and 2018 c 126 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) A legislative-executive WorkFirst poverty reduction oversight task force is established, with voting members as provided in this subsection. Task force membership shall include diverse, statewide representation and its membership shall reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to adequately represent the needs of all children and families in the state.

(i) The president of the senate shall appoint two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

(ii) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

(iii) The governor shall appoint eight members representing the following agencies: The department of social and health services; the department of children, youth, and families; the department of commerce; the employment security department; the office of the superintendent of public instruction; the department of health; the department of corrections; and the state board for community and technical colleges.

(b) The task force shall choose its cochairs, one from among the legislative members and one from among the executive branch members. The secretary of the department of social and health services shall convene the initial meeting of the task force.

(2) The governor shall appoint ((five))eight nonvoting members to the task force representing the:

(a) ((Commission))State commission on African American affairs;

(b) State commission on Hispanic affairs;

(c) State commission on Asian Pacific American affairs;

(d) Governor's office of Indian affairs; ((and))

(e) Women's commission;

(h) Office of financial management.

(3) The cochairs of the intergenerational poverty advisory committee created in RCW 74.08A.510 shall serve as nonvoting members of the task force.

(4) The task force shall:

(a) Oversee the partner agencies' operation of the WorkFirst program and temporary assistance for needy families program to ensure that the programs are achieving desired outcomes for their clients;

(b) Determine evidence-based outcome measures for the WorkFirst program, including measures related to equitably serving the needs of historically underrepresented populations, such as English language learners, immigrants, refugees, and other diverse communities;

(c) Develop accountability measures for WorkFirst recipients and the state agencies responsible for their progress toward self-sufficiency;

(d) Collaborate with the advisory committee created in RCW 74.08A.510 to develop and monitor strategies to prevent and address adverse childhood experiences and reduce intergenerational poverty;

(e) Seek input on best practices for poverty reduction from service providers, community-based organizations, legislators, state agencies, stakeholders, the business community, and subject matter experts;

(f) Collaborate with partner agencies and the advisory committee to analyze available data and information regarding intergenerational poverty in the state, with a primary focus on data and information regarding children who are at risk of continuing the cycle of poverty and welfare dependency unless outside intervention occurs; and

(g) Recommend policy actions to the governor and the legislature to effectively reduce intergenerational poverty and promote and encourage self-sufficiency.

(5)(a) The task force shall direct the department of social and health services to develop a five-year plan to reduce intergenerational poverty and promote self-sufficiency, subject to oversight and approval by the task force. Upon approval by the task force, the department must submit the plan to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2019.

(b) The task force shall review the five-year plan by December 1, 2024, and shall direct the department to update the plan as determined necessary by the task force.

(6) The partner agencies must provide the task force with regular reports on:

(a) The partner agencies' progress toward meeting the outcome and performance measures established under this section;

(b) Caseload trends and program expenditures, and the impact of those trends and expenditures on client services, including services to historically underrepresented populations; and

(c) The characteristics of families who have been unsuccessful on the temporary assistance for needy families program and have lost their benefits either through sanction or the sixty-month time limit.

(7) Staff support for the task force, including administration of task force meetings, must be provided by the state agency members of the task force. Additional staff support for legislative members of the task force must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.

(8) During ((its [their]))their tenure, the state agency members of the task force shall respond in a timely manner to data requests from the cochairs.

(9) Legislative members of the task force are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.

Sec. 2. RCW 74.08A.510 and 2018 c 126 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) To assist the task force established in RCW 74.08A.505, there is created the intergenerational poverty advisory committee.

(2) The advisory committee must include diverse, statewide representation from public, nonprofit, and for-profit entities. The committee membership must reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to adequately represent the needs of all children and families in the state.

(3) Members of the advisory committee are appointed by the secretary, with the approval of the task force.

(4) The advisory committee must include representatives from:

(a) Advocacy groups that focus on childhood poverty issues;

(b) Advocacy groups that focus on education and early childhood education issues;

(c) Academic experts in childhood poverty, education, or early childhood education issues;

(d) Faith-based organizations that address childhood poverty, education, or early childhood education issues;

(e) Tribal governments;

(f) Families impacted by poverty;

(g) Local government representatives that address childhood poverty or education issues;

(h) The business community;

(i) A group representing accredited financial counselors;

(j) A subject matter expert in infant mental health;

(((j)))(k) The department of children, youth, and families; and

(((k)))(l) The department.

(5) Each member of the advisory committee is appointed for a four-year term unless a member is appointed to complete an unexpired term. The secretary may adjust the length of term at the time of appointment or reappointment so that approximately one-half of the advisory committee is appointed every two years.

(6) The secretary may remove an advisory committee member:

(a) If the member is unable or unwilling to carry out the member's assigned responsibilities; or

(b) For good cause.

(7) If a vacancy occurs in the advisory committee membership for any reason, a replacement may be appointed for the unexpired term.

(8) The advisory committee shall choose cochairs from among its membership. The secretary shall convene the initial meeting of the advisory committee.

(9) A majority of the advisory committee constitutes a quorum of the advisory committee at any meeting and the action of the majority of members present is the action of the advisory committee.

(10) The advisory committee shall:

(a) Meet quarterly at the request of the task force cochairs or the cochairs of the advisory committee;

(b) Make recommendations to the task force on how the task force and the state can effectively address the needs of children affected by intergenerational poverty and achieve the purposes and duties of the task force as described in RCW 74.08A.505;

(c) Ensure that the advisory committee's recommendations to the task force are supported by verifiable data; and

(d) Gather input from diverse communities about the impact of intergenerational poverty on outcomes such as education, health care, employment, involvement in the child welfare system, and other related areas.

(11) The department shall provide staff support to the advisory committee and shall endeavor to accommodate the participation needs of its members. Accommodations may include considering the location and time of committee meetings, making options available for remote participation by members, and convening meetings of the committee in locations with proximity to available child care whenever feasible.

(12) Members of the advisory committee may receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

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