Purpose: To amend WAC 388-400-0040 Am I eligible for benefits through the Washington Basic Food program?, 388-408-0035 Who is in my assistance unit for Basic Food and 388-450-0140 How does the income of an ineligible assistance unit member affect my eligibility and benefits for food assistance?, to be consistent with eligibility requirements for persons convicted of a drug-related felony as directed by the legislature under ESB 6411 (chapter 54, Laws of 2004).

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-400-0040, 388-408-0035, and 388-450-0140.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510.

     Other Authority: ESB 6411 (chapter 54, Laws of 2004).

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

     Reasons for this Finding: Without the emergency rules DSHS clients would not receive the correct food assistance benefits they are eligible to receive under ESB 6411. The rule change is also being filed for permanent adoption; the emergency filing will ensure timeliness of benefits.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: June 29, 2004.

Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     (1) When you apply for Basic Food, we decide who is in your assistance unit (AU) based on the requirements under WAC 388-408-0035.

     (2) To be eligible for Basic Food benefits, your AU must meet the eligibility requirements of the most current version of the Food Stamp Act of 1977.

     (3) To be eligible for federal Basic Food benefits, each AU member must:

     (a) Be a U.S. citizen or national as described under WAC 388-424-0005; or

     (b) Meet the alien status requirements for federal benefits described under WAC 388-424-0020.

     (4) An AU member who is not eligible for federal benefits may be eligible for state-funded Basic Food benefits if they meet the requirements described under WAC 388-400-0045.

     (5) To be eligible for federal or state Basic Food benefits, each AU member must:

     (a) Be a resident of the state of Washington as required under WAC 388-468-0005;

     (b) Meet the citizenship or alien status requirements of either WAC 388-424-0020 or 388-424-0025;

     (c) Provide their Social Security number as required under WAC 388-476-0005;

     (d) Provide proof of identity as required under WAC 388-490-0005;

     (e) Participate in the food stamp employment and training program (FSE&T) as required under chapter 388-444 WAC; and

     (f) Meet the eligibility criteria for strikers as described under WAC 388-480-0001.

     (6) To be eligible for Basic Food, your AU must:

     (a) Have countable income at or below gross and net income standards as described under WAC 388-478-0060; and

     (b) Have countable resources at or below your AU's resource limit under WAC 388-470-0005.

     (7) If your AU has income under the gross income standard, we deduct certain expenses from your income under WAC 388-450-0200 before we calculate your Basic Food benefits.

     (8) If an eligible person in your AU is elderly or disabled, some rules may help your AU to be eligible for Basic Food or to get more Basic Food benefits. These include:

     (a) Resources limits and excluding certain resources under chapter 388-470((-))WAC;

     (b) An excess shelter deduction over the limit set for AUs without an elderly or disabled individual under WAC 388-450-0190;

     (c) A deduction for out-of-pocket medical expenses for the elderly or disabled individual if they are over thirty-five dollars a month under WAC 388-450-0200; and

     (d) Being exempt from the gross income standard under WAC 388-478-0060.

     (9) For Basic Food, elderly means a person who is age sixty or older;

     (10) For Basic Food, disabled means a person who:

     (a) Gets SSI;

     (b) Gets disability payments or blindness payments under Title I, II, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act;

     (c) Gets disability retirement benefits from a state, local or federal government agency because of a disability considered permanent under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act;

     (d) Gets disability benefits from the Railroad Retirement Act under sections 2 (a)(1)(iv) and (v) and:

     (i) Meets Title XIX disability requirements; or

     (ii) Is eligible for Medicare.

     (e) Receives disability-related medical assistance under Title XIX of the Social Security Act;

     (f) Is a veteran and receives disability payments based on one hundred percent disability;

     (g) Is a spouse of a veteran and:

     (i) Either needs an attendant or is permanently housebound; or

     (ii) Has a disability under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act and is eligible for death or pension payments under Title 38 of the USC.

     (11) If a person in your AU attends an institution of higher education and does not meet the requirements to be an eligible student under WAC 388-482-0005, we do not consider this person as a member of your AU.

     (12) If your AU lives on or near an Indian reservation and participates in a tribal food distribution program approved by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), your AU is not eligible for Basic Food benefits.

     (13) If an AU member is ineligible for any of the following reasons, we count the ineligible person's income as described under WAC 388-450-0140:

     (a) Able-bodied adults without dependents who are no longer eligible under WAC 388-444-0030;

     (b) Persons ((convicted of a drug-related felony or)) fleeing a felony prosecution, conviction, or confinement under WAC 388-442-0010;

     (c) Persons who do not attest to citizenship or alien status under WAC 388-424-0005;

     (d) Persons who are ineligible aliens under WAC 388-424-0020;

     (e) Persons disqualified for an intentional program violation under WAC 388-446-0015;

     (f) Persons who do not provide a Social Security number when required under WAC 388-476-0005; or

     (g) Persons who failed to meet work requirements under chapter 388-444 WAC.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, and 74.04.510. 03-05-028, § 388-400-0040, filed 2/10/03, effective 4/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-400-0040, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

     (a) Usually buy and fix food with you; or

     (b) You provide meals for them and they pay less than a reasonable amount for meals.

     (2) If the following people live with you, they must be in your AU even if you do not usually buy and fix food together:

     (a) Your spouse;

     (b) Your parents if you are under age twenty-two (even if you are married);

     (c) Your children under age twenty-two;

     (d) The parent of a child who must be in your AU;

     (e) A child under age eighteen who doesn't live with their parent unless the child:

     (i) Is emancipated;

     (ii) Gets a TANF grant in their own name; or

     (iii) Is not financially dependent on an adult in the AU because they get and have control of income of at least the TANF payment standard under WAC 388-478-0020(2) before taxes or other withholdings.

     (3) If you live in an institution where you may be eligible for Basic Food under WAC 388-408-0040, we decide who is in your AU as follows:

     (a) If the facility is acting as your authorized representative under WAC 388-460-0015, we include you and anyone who must be in your AU under subsection (2) of this rule; or

     (b) If you apply for benefits on your own, we include you, anyone who must be in your AU under subsection (2) of this rule, and other residents you choose to apply with.

     (4) Anyone who must be in your AU under subsection (1) or (2) is an ineligible AU member if they:

     (a) Are disqualified for an intentional program violation (IPV) under WAC 388-446-0015;

     (b) Do not meet ABAWD work requirements under WAC 388-444-0030.

     (c) Do not meet work requirements under WAC 388-444-0055;

     (d) Do not provide a social security number under WAC 388-476-0005;

     (e) Do not meet the citizenship or alien status requirements under chapter 388-424 WAC;

     (f) Are fleeing a felony charge or violating a condition of parole or probation under WAC 388-442-0010((;

     (g) Are disqualified for a drug-related felony under WAC 388-442-0010)).

     (5) If your AU has an ineligible member:

     (a) We count the ineligible member's income to your AU under WAC 388-450-0140;

     (b) We count all the ineligible members resources to your AU; and

     (c) We do not use the ineligible member to determine your AU's size for the maximum income amount or allotment under WAC 388-478-0060.

     (6) If the following people live in the same home as you, you can choose if we include them in your AU:

     (a) A permanently disabled person who is age sixty or over and cannot make their own meals if the total income of everyone else in the home (not counting the elderly and disabled person's spouse) is not more than the one hundred sixty-five percent standard under WAC 388-478-0060;

     (b) A boarder. If you do not include a boarder in your AU, the boarder cannot get Basic Food benefits in a separate AU;

     (c) A person placed in your home for foster care. If you do not include this person in your AU, they cannot get Basic Food benefits in a separate AU;

     (d) Roomers; or

     (e) Live-in attendants even if they buy and fix food with you.

     (7) If someone in your AU is out of your home for a full issuance month, they are not eligible for benefits as a part of your AU.

     (8) If someone received Basic Food or food stamps in another AU or another state, they cannot receive benefits in your AU for the same period of time with one exception. If you already received Basic Food or food stamp benefits:

     (a) In another state, you are not eligible for Basic Food for the period of time covered by the benefits you received from the other state; or

     (b) In another AU, you are not eligible for Basic Food in a different AU for the same period of time;

     (c) In another AU, but you left the AU to live in a shelter for battered women and children under WAC 388-408-0045, you may be eligible to receive benefits in a separate AU.

     (9) The following people who live in your home are not members of your AU. If they are eligible for Basic Food, they may be a separate AU:

     (a) Someone who usually buys and fixes food separately from your AU if they are not required to be in your AU; or

     (b) Someone who lives in a separate residence.

     (10) A student who is ineligible for Basic Food under WAC 388-482-0005 is not a member of your AU.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. 04-06-025, § 388-408-0035, filed 2/23/04, effective 4/1/04; 03-19-118, § 388-408-0035, filed 9/16/03, effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510. 01-21-060, § 388-408-0035, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-408-0035, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

     (1) We do not count the ineligible member(s) to determine your AU size for the gross monthly income limit, net monthly income limit, or maximum allotment under WAC 388-478-0060.

     (2) If an AU member is ineligible because they are disqualified for an intentional program violation (IPV), they failed to meet work requirements under chapter 388-444 WAC, or they are ineligible fleeing felons under WAC 388-442-0010:

     (a) We count all of the ineligible member's gross income as a part of your AU's income; and

     (b) We count all of the ineligible member's allowable expenses as part of your AU's expenses.

     (3) If an AU member is an ineligible ABAWD under WAC 388-444-0030, is ineligible due to their alien status, failed to sign the application to state their citizenship or alien status, or refused to get or provide us a Social Security number:

     (a) We allow the twenty percent earned income disregard for the ineligible member's earned income;

     (b) We prorate the remaining income of the ineligible member among all the AU members by excluding the ineligible member's share and counting the remainder to the eligible members; and

     (c) We divide the ineligible member's allowable expenses evenly among all members of the AU when the ineligible member has income.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510. 02-06-089, § 388-450-0140, filed 3/1/02, effective 3/26/02; 01-21-060, § 388-450-0140, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510. 99-16-024, § 388-450-0140, filed 7/26/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-450-0140, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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