HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6764

BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Rinehart, Bailey and Fleming)

Creating the learn-in-libraries program.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Todd, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; R. Fisher, Hankins, R. King, Morris and O'Brien.

House Staff:Barbara McLain (786-7135)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (20)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Bowman, Brekke, Brough, Dorn, Inslee, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Barbara McLain (786-7135)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Due to the number of families with both parents working outside the home and a shortage of child care for school-aged children, many children are unsupervised during after-school hours.  In King County alone, there may be some 22,000 "latch-key" children between the ages of six and 13.

In 1989 the Seattle Public Library began a program of after-school activities targeted at latch-key children in four of its branch libraries.  Every day from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. children's librarians and volunteers supervise crafts projects, help with homework, show films, tell stories, and encourage reading.  The four libraries in the program are located in neighborhoods with a large number of children from low-income, single-parent, or immigrant families.

SUMMARY:

The "Learn-in Libraries" program is created, to be administered by the State Library Commission.  The commission may provide grants to local libraries to develop and implement programs that provide after school activities for children who would otherwise be unsupervised.  Grant applications are to include participation of volunteers, especially older adult volunteers; use of other community resources, and strategies to increase literacy, improve reading skills, and provide homework assistance.

A single grant may not exceed $25,000.  The library commission may not use more than 10 percent of funds appropriated, or a maximum of $50,000, to administer the program.

The commission is to report to the Legislature on the results of the program.

Creation of the program is contingent upon specific funding for this purpose being provided in the operating budget.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (State Government)  Senator Nita Rinehart, prime sponsor; Mark Allen, Washington Library Association; and Tom Mayer, Sno-Isle Regional Library System.

(Appropriations)  Tom Mayer, Sno-Isle Regional Library System and Lon Dickerson, Timberland Regional Libraries.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (State Government)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (State Government)  This program is a proven success and should be implemented statewide to benefit children and seniors as volunteers.  It is a positive step toward reducing illiteracy, improving the visibility and importance of libraries as a public service, and addressing the needs of an at-risk population - latch-key children.  Funding is needed due to the high personal contact with children.

(Appropriations)  This is a critical program that serves a real need in communities. Latch-key children are not unique to large cities; activities at small rural and suburban libraries could be developed with the grant funds.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (State Government)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 97 - 3/2