Date of Adoption: November 3, 2000.

Purpose: Updates the fiscal year (FY) 2001 cost-of-living adjustments to the food assistance program. This reflects an annually mandated change in federal rules.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-478-0060 Income eligibility standards for food assistance.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.510, 74.08.090.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 00-19-097 on September 20, 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

November 3, 2000

Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

(((1) When all household members receive cash benefits (TANF, GA-U, GA-S, etc.) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), they do not have to meet the income standard.

     (2) All households, based on their size, must have income at or below the limits shown in column B to be eligible for food assistance, except as follows:

     (a) Column C is to be used when a household includes a person sixty years or older, or with disabilities;

     (b) Column E is to be used when determining separate household status for an elderly person and a person with permanent disability, as described in WAC 388-408-0035 (1)(d).)) So long as your assistance unit (AU) meets other eligibility requirements for food assistance benefits, your AU must have income at or below the limits in column (B) and (C) to get food assistance, unless you meet one of the exceptions listed below:

EFFECTIVE 10-1-((99)) 2000
Column A Household Size	Column B Maximum Gross Monthly Income		Column C Maximum Net Monthly Income		Column D Maximum Allotment		Column E 165% of Poverty Level
1	$ ((893)) 905		$ ((687)) 696		$ ((127)) 130		$ ((1,133)) 1,149
2	((1,199)) 1,219		((922)) 938		((234)) 238		((1,521)) 1,547
3	((1,504)) 1,533		((1,157)) 1,180		((335)) 341		((1,909)) 1,946
4	((1,810)) 1,848		((1,392)) 1,421		((426)) 434		((2,297)) 2,345
5	((2,115)) 2,162		((1,627)) 1,663		((506)) 515		((2,684)) 2,744
6	((2,421)) 2,476		((1,862)) 1,905		((607)) 618		((3,072)) 3,142
7	((2,726)) 2,790		((2,097)) 2,146		((671)) 683		((3,460)) 3,541
8	((3,032)) 3,104		((2,332)) 2,388		((767)) 781		((3,848)) 3,940
9	((3,338)) 3,419		((2,567)) 2,630		((863)) 879		((4,236)) 4,339
10	((3,644)) 3,734		((2,802)) 2,872		((959)) 977		((4,624)) 4,738
Each Additional Member	+((306)) 315		+((235)) 242		+((96)) 98		+((388)) 399

     Exceptions:

     (1) If your AU is categorically eligible as defined in WAC 388-414-0001, your income will not have to be below the gross or net income standards in columns (B) and (C) to decide if you are eligible. However, we will budget the AU's income to decide the amount of food assistance your AU will receive.

     (2) If your AU includes a member who is sixty years of age or older or has a disability, your income must be at or below the limit in column (C) only.

     (3) If you are sixty years of age or older and are unable to purchase and prepare your own meals because of a permanent disability, we will use column (E) to determine if you can be a separate food assistance unit.

     (4) If your AU has zero income you will receive the maximum allotment amount, based on your household size in column (D).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510.      99-24-053, § 388-478-0060, filed 11/29/99, effective 12/30/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510.      99-16-024, § 388-478-0060, filed 7/26/99, effective 9/1/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090.      99-05-074, § 388-478-0060, filed 2/17/99, effective 3/20/99.      Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090.      98-16-044, § 388-478-0060, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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