S-2133               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5723

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Sellar, Hansen, Moore, Saling, Patterson, Metcalf and Lee)

Read first time 2/26/87.

AN ACT Relating to state supplementation to federal supplemental security income; amending RCW 74.04.620; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 3, chapter 10, Laws of 1973 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 37, chapter 41, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. and RCW 74.04.620 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The department is authorized to establish a program of state supplementation to the national program of supplemental security income consistent with Public Law 92-603 and Public Law 93-66 to those persons who are in need thereof in accordance with eligibility requirements established by the department.

          (2) The department is authorized to establish reasonable standards of assistance and resource and income exemptions specifically for such program of state supplementation which shall be consistent with the provisions of the Social Security Act:  PROVIDED, That no amount of federally provided annual cost-of-living adjustments in excess of two percent may be used to reduce the level of state supplementation to any recipient.

          (3) The department is authorized to make payments to applicants for supplemental security income, pursuant to agreements as provided in Public Law 93-368, who are otherwise eligible for general assistance.

          (4) Any agreement between the department and a supplemental security income applicant providing for the reimbursement of interim assistance to the department shall provide, if the applicant has been represented by an attorney, that twenty-five percent of the reimbursement received shall be withheld by the department and all or such portion thereof as has been approved as a fee by the United States department of health and human services shall be released directly to the applicant's attorney.  The secretary may maintain such records as are deemed appropriate to measure the cost and effectiveness of such agreements and may make recommendations concerning the continued use of such agreements to the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.