HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1676

BYHouse Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Leonard, Hine, Lewis, Pruitt, R. King, Brekke, Lux, Fisher, Rasmussen, Cooper, Anderson, P. King and Todd)

Revising provisions relating to community action agencies.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (6)

      Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Anderson, Leonard, H. Sommers and Sutherland.

House Staff:John B. Welsh, Jr.  (786-7133)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 16, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Prior to 1981, federal grants for services to low-income, elderly and disabled people went directly to community action agencies, defined under federal law, to provide locally determined services.  Afterwards, the distribution of those anti- poverty funds was changed to community service block grants to the states.

Currently there is no statutory recognition of the role of community action agencies in the state, nor a statutory determination of how or by whom federal community service block grant funds should be disbursed.  Federal block grants represent discretionary money that enables community action agencies to identify community needs and provide services not available under other federal or state programs.

SUMMARY:

The community action agency network is recognized as a delivery system for federal and state anti-poverty programs in the state.  Local community action agencies, and their service areas, shall be designated in the state/federal community service block grant plan, that is developed by the Department of Community Development.

A community action agency is defined as an office which is either a political subdivision of the state, or a local organization qualifying under federal law as non-profit.  Non-profit organizations must have a governing board of between 9 and 33 members, with one-third being public officials; one-third representing the poor; and the remainder from the community at large.

The powers of the governing board include the appointment of the executive director; approval of the budget; contracting and operational affairs; and program evaluation and audit.

A public community action agency must have the program administered by the board accountable to its governing body.  The duties of the administrative board include review and consultation on development of program policy; consultation on appointment of the director; monitoring and evaluation of programs; and accountability, with assurances against discrimination.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 28, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Rick Allen, Washington State Association of Community Action Agencies; Chuck Sauvage, Washington State Common Cause; Kathy Friedt, Department of Community Development; Bill Riley, Kittitas County Action Council; and Thelma Struck, Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The role of Community Action Agencies are not recognized in Washington law for administering the federal anti-poverty block grants programs.  Their network is already well established.  It is not the only mechanism for providing services but a key one.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.