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Welfare Reform Reauthorization: NCSL bill summary of the " The Working Toward Independence Act of 2002 ", H.R. 4092, as introduced by Representative Howard McKeon (R-OH), Chair of the 21^st Century Subcommittee, House Education and the Workforce Committee and amended in subcommittee (Adobe Acrobat Required to access pdf version of bill summary)

Human Services Committee Bill Summary in Brief H.R. 4092

This bill closely resembles the bill offered by Congressman Herger (R-CA) in the House Ways and Means Committee (H.R. 4090), which recently passed out of subcommittee. H.R. 4092 changes the work participation rates that states are required to meet in the TANF program or risk financial sanctions. The rate would rise from 50% in FY 03 to 70% by FY 07. The bill also contains a universal engagement requirement and increases the hours of participation required of recipients from 30 to 40 hours, and adds a new requirement that participants meet a participation requirement of 24 hours of work or directly work-related activities and 16 hours of other activities defined by the states. The bill also contains the employment achievement bonuses. Like the Herger bill, the bill was amended in subcommittee to require that states enact full-family, full-check sanctions for recipients who do not meet work requirements or the requirements of their self-sufficiency plan. States would not be able to use state funds or federal TANF funds to serve these families. Like the Herger bill, this bill includes a "super waiver" provision, but this provision was amended in subcommittee to exclude Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs.

Because this committee has jurisdiction over funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, the bill makes amendments to the authorizing legislation in Title II, as outlined below:

• The goals of the block grant are amended to include encouraging states to improve the quality of child care available to the family and to promote school readiness, including activities to foster early cognitive and literacy development.
• It authorizes the discretionary funding for the block grant at $2.1 billion for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2007, continuing the current funding level of FY 2002.
• Several changes are made to language regarding consumer and child care provider information. For example, states would certify that they collect and disseminate information regarding other programs the families receiving these services would be eligible (Food Stamps, WIC, etc.)
• State plans would have to show that the state is coordinating with other early child care services including Head Start, Early Reading First, Even Start, and state pre-kindergarten programs.
• The quality set-aside remains at 4%. States would have to include quality measures and targets in their state plan
• The language stating that states can serve families up to 85% of the state median income level is changed to read "income levels as established by the state, prioritized by need."