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Rep. Tami Green, serving the 28th District Serving DuPont, Fircrest, University Place, Lakewood, Steilacoom, Tillicum, West Tacoma, and Anderson, Ketron and McNeil Islands. |
Governor signs bill to promote education for low-income families
Rep. Green seeks long-term solutions for helping struggling individuals land family-wage jobs
April 13, 2009
OLYMPIA – After passing the House and Senate unanimously, Rep. Tami Green’s (D-Lakewood) HB 2071, was signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire today.
“It’s crucial to not only address the current financial well-being of these struggling families, but to also prepare them to achieve a more secure income in the long run,” Green said.
WorkFirst is a temporary cash assistance program, which helps remove barriers to employment and provide family-wage job opportunities for low-income individuals. Each recipient currently undergoes a process to develop an individual responsibility plan to aid them in pursuing employment opportunities.
Green’s HB 2071 revises the elements of the individual responsibility plan developed for WorkFirst recipients to include education, training, and other opportunities available to the recipient to support employment goals and advancement in the workplace.
The bill delves into providing long-term solutions to job seekers by encouraging them to seek out educational opportunities that will help them find better jobs and keep them employed for a longer period of time. This helps them obtain the advanced skills required in today’s job market.
“This tough economic time has had many people rethinking how we use limited funds,” Green said. “This bill stretches each dollar even farther by promoting self-sufficiency among hardworking individuals.”
For more details on HB 2071, please click here.
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Contact: Rep. Tami Green (360) 786-7958;
green.tami@leg.wa.gov
Downloadable photo:
http://leg.wa.gov/documents/House/Members/Photos/Green.jpg
Staff Contact: Jamie Badilla (360) 786-7255;
Badilla.jamie@leg.wa.gov
Radio and TV News Directors: To obtain broadcast-quality audio
on these issues, or to arrange for TV or radio interviews, please contact
House Democratic Caucus Broadcast Coordinator Dan Frizzell at
frizzell.dan@leg.wa.gov or (360) 786-7208.