State Legislature 2013 session

[eridani]

43. Please take action on the following poverty-related bills

Requiring Drug Testing to Access Benefits: An unnecessary and expensive way to perpetuate stereotypes
A solution in search of a problem, SB 5585 would require TANF recipients to pass a drug test in order to access their benefits. This bill is ill-conceived, unnecessary, and expensive, serving primarily to reinforce stereotypes that stigmatize hard-working families. We know from our members that these representations of our families are categorically false; parents on TANF are stretching every penny of their cash grant to meet their children’s basic survival needs. This bill is an attack on our community, a dangerous tool to institutionalize racial prejudices, and a narrow-minded assault on low-income people’s dignity.

Click here to OPPOSE SB 5585 and stop the harmful stereotypes of low-income Washingtonians and prevent the institutionalization of racial prejudices by opposing this redundant legislation. http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/30/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=511

Expanding Education Access for TANF Recipients: Supporting Long Term Stability
In order to offer low-income parents the same foothold that higher-income students across Washington have attained, we must provide an accessible pathway to education and training opportunities. HB 1342 and SB 5600 do just this for Washingtonians on TANF by extending from 12 months to 24 months the length of time a TANF recipient can pursue education and training opportunities. Because most job training programs take 24 months to complete, extending this timeframe would open doors and assist families in achieving long-lasting stability. Under current law many TANF recipients are forced to drop out of school after just one year of school, forgoing long-term opportunities. Parents receiving TANF need to be able to access the real world training programs that build economic security and help our communities thrive.

Click here to SUPPORT HB 1342 and SB 5600 and provide low-income Washingtonians with educational opportunities and a foundation for economic stability. http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/30/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=512

Removing Barriers for Families on TANF: Supporting Families
We all hope that if we face a job loss or other economic hardship, we will have the support we need and the opportunity for a good quality of life. TANF provides a lifeline for families as they work to recover from hardship. While many families are able to leave TANF quickly, there are also families who face serious barriers to employment, including a long-term physical or mental disability, a history of family violence, or a lack of jobs in their community. These barriers make it more difficult for parents to find and keep a job that can support their families. In 2011, the legislature eliminated almost all hardship exemptions to the 60-month lifetime limit for receiving TANF, with devastating results for low-income families with children across the state. HB 1734 and SB 5643 allow common sense exemptions to the lifetime limit that target known hardships and barriers to employment, allowing families more access to the support they need for their families.

Click here to SUPPORT HB 1734 and SB 5643 to ensure parents can access the support to keep their children fed, housed, and in school. http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/30/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=513