Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that increases access to the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program.

Highlights:

• Extends the time limit grace period by 4 months for the temporary assistance for the needy families (TANF) program for a recipients family that has fallen out of compliance and meets any of the following conditions, including (Sec. 1):

• Has a child or youth who is without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

• Is at a substantial risk of losing housing or housing support services;

• Is participating satisfactorily in the TANF program;

• Is temporarily prevented from working or looking for a job;

• Is in need of mental health or substance use disorder treatment; or

• Demonstrates another basis by which the time limit of this section would cause undue hardship to the recipient or the recipient’s family.

• Requires transitional food assistance be made available for an additional 5 months, or if necessary, until the end of the transition period to a household that ceases to receive TANF assistance (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department of health and human services to report annually by December 31, of each year report to the governor and appropriate legislative committee over their disaggregated data identifying the race of individuals whose TANF benefits were reduced or terminated during the preceding year due to reaching the 60-month time limit (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that if the aforementioned report shows a disproportionate representation of any racial group that has experienced historic disparities or discrimination then the department must describe steps that it is taking to address and remedy the racial disproportionality (Sec. 2).

• Requires each recipient to be assessed for determination of TANF program eligibility over the following factors that are critical to obtaining employment (Sec. 3):

• Education level;

• Availability of child care; and

• History of family violence or substance abuse.

• Requires the department to review each recipients case to ensure that revisions to their individual responsibility plan have been made for any barriers to work activities such as (Sec 3):

• not enough adequate notice and opportunity to remedy their non-compliance with program requirements; and

• If good cause reasons were considered for failure to participate before imposing sanctions.

• Specifies that if a family recipient of TANF benefits is still in noncompliance after the 4 month extension period then the family’s grant may be reduced by 40 percent (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that increases access to the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program.

Highlights:

• Extends the time limit grace period by 4 months for the temporary assistance for the needy families (TANF) program for a recipients family that has fallen out of compliance and meets any of the following conditions, including (Sec. 1):

• Has a child or youth who is without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

• Is at a substantial risk of losing housing or housing support services;

• Is participating satisfactorily in the TANF program;

• Is temporarily prevented from working or looking for a job;

• Is in need of mental health or substance use disorder treatment; or

• Demonstrates another basis by which the time limit of this section would cause undue hardship to the recipient or the recipient’s family.

• Requires transitional food assistance be made available for an additional 5 months, or if necessary, until the end of the transition period to a household that ceases to receive TANF assistance (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department of health and human services to report annually by December 31, of each year report to the governor and appropriate legislative committee over their disaggregated data identifying the race of individuals whose TANF benefits were reduced or terminated during the preceding year due to reaching the 60-month time limit (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that if the aforementioned report shows a disproportionate representation of any racial group that has experienced historic disparities or discrimination then the department must describe steps that it is taking to address and remedy the racial disproportionality (Sec. 2).

• Requires each recipient to be assessed for determination of TANF program eligibility over the following factors that are critical to obtaining employment (Sec. 3):

• Education level;

• Availability of child care; and

• History of family violence or substance abuse.

• Requires the department to review each recipients case to ensure that revisions to their individual responsibility plan have been made for any barriers to work activities such as (Sec 3):

• not enough adequate notice and opportunity to remedy their non-compliance with program requirements; and

• If good cause reasons were considered for failure to participate before imposing sanctions.

• Specifies that if a family recipient of TANF benefits is still in noncompliance after the 4 month extension period then the family’s grant may be reduced by 40 percent (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text