05/01/1994 01:10 PM Senate FIN

  HB 421:             An Act authorizing grants  for temporary                 
                      housing  assistance  during  emergencies                 
                      and disasters.                                           
                                                                               
                      Representative Eldon Mulder,  sponsor of                 
                      HB  421,  and  Jeff Morrison,  Director,                 
                      Administrative   &   Support    Services                 
                      Division,  Department   of  Military   &                 
                      Veteran Affairs, testified in opposition                 
                      to    limiting    grants    to   $5,000.                 
                      Discussion  was  had by  Senators Kelly,                 
                      Sharp,  and  Co-chair  Pearce  regarding                 
                      double payments and existing legislation                 
                      for  limits.     HB  421   was  HELD  in                 
                      committee  until  a   new  CS  could  be                 
                      drafted.                                                 
                                                                               
  HOUSE BILL NO. 421:                                                          
                                                                               
       An  Act  authorizing   grants  for  temporary   housing                 
       assistance during emergencies and disasters.                            
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce announced that work draft SCSHB 421(FIN) "E"                 
  version  was before  the  committee.   She  pointed out  new                 
  language on  page 1, line  11-14, and page 2,  line 1, which                 
  Co-chair Frank and Senator Kelly had approved.                               
                                                                               
  CO-CHAIR  FRANK  MOVED  for  adoption  of work  draft  SCSHB
(FIN)  "E" version.   No  objection being  heard,  it was                 
  ADOPTED.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative  Mulder  invited  Jeff   Morrison,  Director,                 
  Administrative &  Support Services  Division, Department  of                 
  Military & Veteran Affairs, to speak to the bill.  In regard                 
  to the $5,000 restriction, he said  that in a real emergency                 
  the restriction might be too constrictive.                                   
                                                                               
  JEFF MORRISON said  there were two  sections in present  law                 
  regarding disasters.   One that  pertains to individual  and                 
  family grants and  one that  pertains to temporary  housing.                 
  HB 421 only applied to the temporary housing provision.  The                 
  other section pertaining  to family grants, was  intended to                 
  address  immediate  needs following  a  disaster  other than                 
  housing, such  as food,  clothing, medicine, bedding,  etc.,                 
  and had  a $5,000 limitation  per individual or  per family.                 
  HB 421 would not change that limitation.  He did not support                 
  putting a limit  on temporary housing  because it might  not                 
  meet the needs of  disaster victims.   There was a limit  of                 
  eighteen months for housing  and a time limit seemed  a more                 
  appropriate limitation.                                                      
                                                                               
  In answer to  Co-chair Pearce, Mr.  Morrison said that if  a                 
  disaster  was  solely a  state disaster  and not  declared a                 
  federal disaster, people  would not be eligible  for Federal                 
  Emergency  Management Agency  (FEMA)  grants.   Usually  the                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  magnitude of a disaster, for  instance, how many individuals                 
  it  effected,  was the  factor  mandating  it as  a  federal                 
  disaster.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Senator Kelly asked if  the state would be reimbursed  if an                 
  individual received state and then later federal assistance.                 
  Mr.  Morrison  said there  was  a provision  in  the current                 
  temporary housing plan to offset insurance proceeds.  He did                 
  not know if a settlement would be treated the same way.                      
                                                                               
  Discussion followed regarding housing limitations by Senator                 
  Sharp, Mr. Morrison, and Co-chair Pearce.                                    
                                                                               
  Senator Kelly requested a provision be  added to the bill to                 
  provide  reimbursement  to  the  state  if an  insurance  or                 
  federal  settlement  was received  by  individuals receiving                 
  grants.  Mr. Morrison suggested that Senator Kelly's concern                 
  could be addressed  by adding the words "or  other payments"                 
  after the words "under private Insurance" on line 14, and on                 
  line 12, and replace  the words "are not eligible  for" with                 
  the words  "for the  cost of  housing that  are not  covered                 
  under."  The state  then would not duplicate payments.   Co-                 
  chair  Pearce pointed  out  that it  might  be years  before                 
  settlements or other payments were received, and this was an                 
  emergency grant so individuals could receive money  quickly.                 
  Senator Kelly  agreed with  Co-chair Pearce  that the  state                 
  grant  would  be an  immediate help,  but  if any  money was                 
  received after that, the state should be reimbursed.                         
                                                                               
  Representative Mulder also agreed that the intent  of HB 421                 
  was  to  enable people  to  receive emergency  funds quickly                 
  without  the  department  having  to  do a  lengthy  housing                 
  inventory, etc.   He  said he  was in  support of  the grant                 
  being  repaid  to  the state  if  the  individual or  family                 
  received another settlement at a later date.                                 
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce announced that SCSHB  421(FIN) would be HELD                 
  until  language  could  be  drafted  to  accomplish  Senator                 
  Kelly's proposed amendment.