1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study
2new approaches to family work support programs.

3WHEREAS, It is in the public interest to pursue the common
4good whereby all families in this Commonwealth have improved
5access to economic and educational opportunities that help
6families achieve self-sufficiency and financial security while
7reducing the number of families living in poverty; and

8WHEREAS, More and more middle-class families are living
9paycheck to paycheck, especially in these very difficult
10economic times; and

11WHEREAS, Nearly one in five children in Pennsylvania live in
12poverty, which increased in this Commonwealth from 11.6% to
1313.4% in 2010; and

14WHEREAS, More states are recognizing that reducing poverty is
15a critical economic development issue which requires strategic,
16integrated and comprehensive approaches that create
17opportunities for families to achieve economic success,

1including creating quality jobs, providing work supports,
2promoting greater collaboration with the private sector and
3implementing targeted tax policies; and

4WHEREAS, An assessment of current State policies and
5practices within the Department of Public Welfare, the
6Department of Education, the Department of Health, the
7Department of Revenue, the Department of Labor and Industry and
8the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency may promote economic
9opportunity and poverty reduction by revealing inconsistencies
10across agencies which determine eligibility for individuals and
11families to move up the economic ladder; and

12WHEREAS, An examination of evidence-based solutions utilized
13in other states may reveal significant efforts to reduce poverty
14as well as mitigate the "cliff effect"; and

15WHEREAS, Working parents who receive a minor increase in
16income making them ineligible for various programs that allow
17them to work, such as child-care assistance, transportation,
18food stamps and free and reduced school lunches, face the
19"cliff" and disincentives for achieving self-sufficiency;
20therefore be it

21RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
22assess current State practices that promote economic opportunity
23and poverty reduction and develop a strategic, integrated and
24comprehensive plan to mitigate the "cliff effect"; and be it
25further

26RESOLVED, That in its review the committee consult with the
27Department of Public Welfare, the Department of Education, the
28Department of Health, the Department of Revenue, the Department
29of Labor and Industry and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
30Agency; and be it further

1RESOLVED, That in its review the committee consult with
2recipients, advocates and providers with experience in job
3support and welfare-to-work programs; and be it further

4RESOLVED, That the committee evaluate and make
5recommendations regarding:

6(1) Identifying best policies and practices that build
7family assets and financial stability.

8(2) Making work pay through the use of fair and
9sustainable targeted tax policies.

10(3) Expanding the work force with quality jobs that meet
11private sector needs.

12(4) Assessing work support issues such as child care,
13transportation, nutrition and housing needs of families.

14(5) Creating a coordinated effort among State agencies
15to develop policies on education, health care, housing,
16income, child care, nutrition and transportation that are
17consistent and create incentives for self-sufficiency.

18(6) Identifying those policies and regulations that
19conflict with the goal of self-sufficiency;

20and be it further

21RESOLVED, That the committee make a report with
22recommendations to the Senate within one year of the adoption of
23this resolution.