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HB 2364 - Poverty reduction task force

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Section 1

  1. The legislature finds that economic stability is foundational to the health and well-being of Washingtonians and recognizes the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty as the guiding state strategic plan to measurably reduce poverty and increase well-being in our state. As poverty reduction can only be achieved through coordinated action and systemic change, the legislature finds that an intentional alignment of efforts across state agencies, stakeholders, community members, and the legislature is needed to fully realize that outcome.

  2. In order to ensure the alignment described in subsection (1) of this section, the legislature finds it necessary to update the name, duties, membership, and structure of the legislative-executive WorkFirst poverty reduction oversight task force in order to align with the Washington economic justice alliance and ensure continued momentum in the work to dismantle poverty and injustice in Washington state.

Section 2

The definitions in this section apply throughout chapter 126, Laws of 2018 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

  1. "Advisory council" means the economic justice and well-being advisory council.

  2. "Cycle of poverty" or "poverty cycle" means the set of factors or events by which the long-term poverty of a person is likely to continue and be experienced by each child of the person when the child becomes an adult unless there is outside intervention.

  3. "Department" means the department of social and health services.

  4. "Intergenerational poverty" means poverty in which two or more successive generations of a family continue in the cycle of poverty and governmental dependence, and is not situational poverty.

5.

"Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and health services.

  1. "Task force" means the legislative-executive economic justice and well-being task force.

Section 3

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    1. The legislative-executive economic justice and well-being task force is established, as provided in this section. 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 individuals, children, and families in the state.

      1. The president of the senate shall appoint two voting members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

      2. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two voting members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

      3. The governor shall appoint 11 voting members representing the following agencies: The department ; 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; the department of revenue; the health care authority; the workforce training and education coordinating board; and the state board for community and technical colleges.

    2. The task force shall choose its cochairs from among its voting members, one from among the legislative members and one from among the executive branch members to serve two-year terms.

  2. The governor shall appoint additional voting members to the task force representing the:

    1. State commission on African American affairs;

    2. State commission on Hispanic affairs;

    3. State commission on Asian Pacific American affairs;

    4. Cochairs of the advisory council;

    5. Women's commission; and

    6. LGBTQ commission

.

  1. The governor's offices of equity, Indian affairs, and financial management shall participate in the task force as nonvoting members.

  2. The task force shall:

    1. Oversee the budget and performance of the WorkFirst program and temporary assistance for needy families program to ensure that the programs are achieving desired outcomes for clients;

    2. Determine, in partnership with the advisory council, evidence-based outcome measures for the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty, including measures related to equitably serving the needs of historically underrepresented populations, such as English language learners, immigrants, refugees, and other diverse communities;

    3. Develop accountability measures for the state agencies responsible for their progress toward implementation of the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty and the reduction of poverty;

    4. Collaborate with the advisory council created in RCW 74.08A.510 to monitor the strategies and recommendations outlined in the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty;

    5. Seek input on best practices for poverty reduction from lived experts, service providers, community-based organizations, legislators, state agencies, stakeholders, the business community, and subject matter experts to encourage the development of cross-sector and innovative approaches to poverty reduction;

    6. Collaborate with relevant state agencies and the advisory council to analyze available data and information regarding poverty in the state, with a primary focus on the strategies and recommendations of the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty and using data and information disaggregated to meaningfully understand the impact on diverse populations; and

    7. Develop and recommend priorities and policy actions to the governor and the legislature to effectively reduce poverty and promote and encourage self-sufficiency.

  3. The task force shall

collaborate with and seek advice from the Washington economic justice alliance in supporting the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty.

  1. The relevant state agencies must provide the task force with regular reports on:

    1. The progress of those state agencies toward meeting the outcome and performance measures established under this section;

    2. In partnership with the office of financial management and the Washington economic justice alliance, the impact of biennial and supplemental budgets on low-income and vulnerable populations; and

    3. Implementation activities related to the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty, including the status of recommendations and priorities adopted by the task force.

  2. By December 1, 2026, state agency representatives on the task force, the Washington economic justice alliance, and the advisory council shall provide a report to the task force and the governor regarding their review and update of the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty.

  3. Staff support for the task force, including administration of task force meetings, must be provided by the department. 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.

  4. During their tenure, the state agency members of the task force shall respond in a timely manner to data requests from the cochairs.

  5. 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.

Section 4

  1. To assist the task force established in RCW 74.08A.505, there is created the economic justice and well-being advisory council.

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

  3. Members of the advisory council are appointed by the secretary, with the approval of the task force.

  4. The secretary may appoint members to the advisory council as the secretary deems appropriate, but the advisory council must at least include representatives from:

    1. Advocacy groups that focus on poverty issues;

    2. Advocacy groups that focus on education and early childhood education issues;

    3. Academic experts in poverty, education, or early childhood education issues;

    4. Organizations, including faith-based organizations, that address poverty, education, or early childhood education issues;

    5. Tribal governments;

    6. Families and individuals impacted by poverty;

    7. Local government representatives that address childhood poverty or education issues;

    8. The business community;

      1. A group representing accredited financial counselors;

    j.

Entities representing the workforce system; and

k. Entities representing postsecondary education systems.

  1. Each member of the advisory council 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 council is appointed every two years.

  2. The secretary may remove an advisory council member:

    1. If the member is unable or unwilling to carry out the member's assigned responsibilities; or

    2. For good cause.

  3. If a vacancy occurs in the advisory council membership for any reason, a replacement may be appointed for the unexpired term.

  4. The advisory council shall choose cochairs from among its membership.

  5. A majority of the advisory council constitutes a quorum of the advisory council at any meeting and the action of the majority of members present is the action of the advisory council.

  6. The advisory council shall:

    1. Meet at least quarterly at the request of the task force cochairs or the cochairs of the advisory council;

    2. Make recommendations to the task force on how the task force and the state can effectively achieve the purposes and duties of the task force ;

    3. Ensure that the advisory council's recommendations to the task force are supported by verifiable data;

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

    5. Monitor the strategies and recommendations outlined in the 10-year plan to dismantle poverty and recommend to the task force priorities and policy options that the task force should consider proposing to the governor and the legislature to effectively reduce poverty and promote and encourage self-sufficiency.

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

  8. Members of the advisory council may receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

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