PERMANENT RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Purpose: To amend WAC 388-400-0040 Am I eligible for benefits through the Washington Basic Food program?, which is a rule related to eligibility for the Washington Basic Food program and certification periods for categorically needy medical programs. These amendments are necessary as a part of the department's simplified reporting initiative. When effective, this permanent rule will replace only WAC 388-400-0040 filed as emergency rule WSR 04-20-043; other sections in WSR 04-20-043 will remain in effect.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-400-0040.
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).
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 04-17-117 on August 17, 2004.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: October 12, 2004.
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
3452.4(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 meet the citizenship or alien status requirements for federal benefits as 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 unless your AU is categorically eligible under WAC 388-414-0001;
(c) Report changes of circumstances as required under WAC 388-418-0005; and
(d) Complete a six-month report and provide proof of any changes if required under WAC 388-418-0011.
(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 as defined in WAC 388-424-0001;
(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, 74.08.090. 04-15-057, § 388-400-0040, filed 7/13/04, effective 8/13/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, and 2004 c 54. 04-14-040, § 388-400-0040, filed 6/29/04, effective 7/30/04. 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.]