Date of Adoption: October 27, 2000.

Purpose: WAC 388-450-0195 Utility allowances for food assistance programs, updates utility deductions used to determine food assistance benefits and varies the heating/cooling utility allowance by household size.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-450-0195.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.510.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 00-19-072 on September 19, 2000.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: RCW 34.05.380 (3)(a) allows early adoption of this rule. Federal regulations at 7 C.F.R. 273.9 (d)(6)(vi) require states to annually update utility allowances used to detemine food assistance benefits. The annual update is due November 1, 2000.Effective Date of Rule: November 1, 2000.

October 27, 2000

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

((You can use the amounts in the chart below to calculate total shelter costs.      Total shelter costs are used in calculating your food assistance benefits.))

((If you have to pay:))	((Then, you can use the:))
((Separate heating or cooling costs))	((Standard utility allowance [(SUA)] [(SEA)] of $220))
((Separate utility costs, but no heating or cooling costs))	((Limited utility allowance [(LUA)] [(L.A.)] of $160))
((Separate costs for phone service only))	((Telephone utility allowance [(TUA)] [(TA)] of $29))

(1) For food assistance programs, "utilities" include the following:

     (a) Heating and cooking fuel;

     (b) Cooling and electricity;

     (c) Water and sewerage;

     (d) Garbage and trash collection; and

     (e) Basic telephone service.

     (2) The department uses the amounts below if you have utility costs separate from your rent or mortgage payment. We add your utility allowance to your rent or mortgage payment to determine your total shelter costs. We use total shelter costs to determine your food assistance benefits.

     (3) If you have heating or cooling costs, you get a standard utility allowance (SUA) that depends on your assistance unit's size.

Assistance Unit (AU) Size	Utility Allowance
1	$230
2	$237
3	$244
4	$251
5	$258
6 or more	$265

     (4) If your AU does not qualify For the SUA and you have utility costs other than telephone costs, you get a limited utility allowance (LUA) of one hundred eighty-five dollars.

     (5) If your AU has only telephone costs and no other utility costs, you get a telephone utility allowance (TUA) of thirty-one dollars.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.040.510 [74.04.510].      99-24-052, § 388-450-0195, filed 11/29/99, effective 12/1/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510.      99-09-055, § 388-450-0195, filed 4/19/99, effective 5/20/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510 and 7 CFR 273.9 (d)(6).      99-01-069, § 388-450-0195, filed 12/14/98, effective 1/14/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090.      98-16-044, § 388-450-0195, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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