ByRepresentatives Leavitt, Shewmake, Peterson, Bronoske, Entenman, Stonier, Bateman, Chopp, Frame, Hackney, Callan, Pollet, Gregerson, Senn, and J. Johnson

AN ACT Relating to bolstering economic recovery by providing public assistance to households in need; amending RCW 74.04.660 and 74.04.770; adding a new section to chapter 74.04 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

The department shall establish a consolidated emergency assistance program for families with children. Assistance may be provided in accordance with this section.

(1) Benefits provided under this program shall be limited to one period of time, as determined by the department, within any consecutive twelve-month period.

(2) Benefits under this program shall be provided to alleviate emergent conditions resulting from insufficient income and resources to provide for: Food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or other necessary items, as defined by the department. Benefits may also be provided for family reconciliation services, family preservation services, home-based services, short-term substitute care in a licensed agency as defined in RCW 74.15.020, crisis nurseries, therapeutic child care, or other necessary services as defined by the department. Benefits shall be provided only in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the specific need, subject to the limitations established in this section.

(3)(a) The department shall, by rule, establish assistance standards and eligibility criteria for this program in accordance with this section.

(4) The department shall seek federal emergency assistance funds to supplement the state funds appropriated for the operation of this program as long as other departmental programs are not adversely affected by the receipt of federal funds.

(5) If state funds appropriated for the consolidated emergency assistance program are exhausted, the department may discontinue the program.

(6) During a state of emergency and pursuant to an order from the governor under this subsection, benefits under this program may be extended to individuals and families without children and may be provided for more than one period of time within any consecutive 12-month period, as established in an order from the governor. Adjustments to the program under this subsection remain in effect until either the state of emergency ceases, the order expires, or the governor issues an order terminating these adjustments, whichever occurs first.

(1) To assist with family-related expenses, households with children receiving food benefits under this title, who are not simultaneously receiving temporary assistance for needy families, are eligible to receive a one-time cash benefit in the final month of eligibility when the household's food benefits terminate due to exceeding the gross income limit or when the household requests voluntary closure.

(2) For households receiving a cash benefit under subsection (1) of this section, the department shall provide transitional food assistance for a period of five months when eligibility for food benefits ceases due to exceeding the gross income limit or when the household requests voluntary closure.

(4) The amount of the cash benefit issued by the department under subsection (1) of this section must be set in accordance with available funds appropriated for this purpose.

(1) The department shall establish consolidated standards of need each fiscal year which may vary by geographical areas, program, and family size, for temporary assistance for needy families, refugee assistance, supplemental security income, and benefits under RCW 74.62.030.

(2)(a) Standards of need for temporary assistance for needy families, refugee assistance, and benefits under RCW 74.62.030 shall be based on studies of actual living costs and generally recognized inflation indices and shall include reasonable allowances for basic household needs including shelter, fuel, food, transportation, clothing, household maintenance and operations, personal maintenance, ((and)) necessary incidentals((.)), cell phone and internet, and out-of-pocket costs for child care and health care.

(b) By July 1, 2022, to ensure the standards of need reflect the current goods and services households need, the department must use an existing, broadly used national standard that meets the requirements of (a) of this subsection as the base for annual updating in subsection (1) of this section.

(c) The standard of need may take into account the economies of joint living arrangements, but unless explicitly required by federal statute, there shall not be proration of any portion of assistance grants unless the amount of the grant standard is equal to the standard of need.

(3) Payment level will be equal to need or a lesser amount if rateable reductions or grant maximums are imposed. In no case shall a recipient of supplemental security income receive a state supplement less than the minimum required by federal law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If specific funding for the purposes of section 2 of this act, referencing section 2 of this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2021, in the omnibus appropriations act, section 2 of this act is null and void.