Original Notice.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 05-17-139.

     Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: The Division of Child Support (DCS) is proposing amendments to WAC 388-14A-1020 What definitions apply to the rules regarding child support enforcement?, 388-14A-2005 When does an application for public assistance automatically become an application for support enforcement services?, 388-14A-2025 What services does the division of child support provide for a nonassistance support enforcement case?, 388-14A-2035 Do I assign my rights to support when I receive public assistance?, 388-14A-2036 What does assigning my rights to support mean?, 388-14A-2040 Do I have to cooperate with the division of child support in establishing or enforcing child support?, and 388-14A-3350 Are there any limits on how much back support the division of child support can seek to establish?

     Hearing Location(s): Blake Office Park East, Rose Room, 4500 10th Avenue S.E., Lacey, WA 98503 (one block north of the intersection of Pacific Avenue S.E. and Alhadeff Lane, behind Goodyear Tire. A map or directions are available at http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/msa/rpau/docket.html or by calling (360) 664-6097), on December 6, 2005, at 10:00 a.m.

     Date of Intended Adoption: December 7, 2005.

     Submit Written Comments to: DSHS Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 45850, Olympia, WA 98504, delivery 4500 10th Avenue S.E., Lacey, WA 98503, e-mail fernaax@dshs.wa.gov, fax (360) 664-6185, by 5:00 p.m., December 6, 2005.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Stephanie Schiller, DSHS Rules Consultant, by December 2, 2005, TTY (360) 664-6178 or (360) 664-6097 or by e-mail at schilse@dshs.wa.gov.

     Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: DCS seeks to clarify when a claim for child support starts as a result of the family receiving Medicaid or medical-only assistance.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: DCS is amending these rules for clarity and client satisfaction.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090, 74.20A.055, 74.20A.310.

     Statute Being Implemented: RCW 26.18.170, 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Name of Proponent: Department of Social and Health Services, governmental.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: Nancy Koptur, DCS HQ, P.O. Box 9162, Olympia, WA 98507-9162, (360) 664-5065.

     No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. This rule does not have an economic impact on small businesses. It only affects individuals who have support obligations or individuals who are owed child support.

     A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. The rule does meet the definition of a significant legislative rule but DSHS rules relating to liability for care of dependents are exempt from preparing a further analysis under RCW 34.05.328 (5)(b)(vii).

October 11, 2005

Andy Fernando, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     "Absence of a court order" means that there is no court order setting a support obligation for the noncustodial parent (NCP), or specifically relieving the NCP of a support obligation, for a particular child.

     "Absent parent" is a term used for a noncustodial parent.

     "Accessible coverage" means health insurance coverage which provides primary care services to the children with reasonable effort by the custodian.

     "Accrued debt" means past-due child support which has not been paid.

     "Administrative order" means a determination, finding, decree or order for support issued under RCW 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056, or 74.20A.059 or by another state's agency under an administrative process, establishing the existence of a support obligation (including medical support) and ordering the payment of a set or determinable amount of money for current support and/or a support debt. Administrative orders include:

     (1) An order entered under chapter 34.05 RCW;

     (2) An agreed settlement or consent order entered under WAC 388-14A-3600; and

     (3) A support establishment notice which has become final by operation of law.

     "Agency" means the Title IV-D provider of a state. In Washington, this is DCS.

     "Agreed settlement" is an administrative order that reflects the agreement of the noncustodial parent, the custodial parent and the division of child support. An agreed settlement does not require the approval of an administrative law judge.

     "Aid" or "public assistance" means cash assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program, the aid for families with dependent children (AFDC) program, federally-funded or state-funded foster care, and includes day care benefits and medical benefits provided to families as an alternative or supplement to TANF.

     "Alternate recipient" means a child of the employee or retiree named within a support order as being entitled to coverage under an employer's group health plan.

     "Applicant/custodian" means a person who applies for nonassistance support enforcement services on behalf of a child or children residing in their household.

     "Applicant/recipient," "applicant," and "recipient" means a person who receives public assistance on behalf of a child or children residing in their household.

     "Arrears" means the debt amount owed for a period of time before the current month.

     "Assistance" means cash assistance under the state program funded under Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act.

     "Birth costs" means medical expenses incurred by the custodial parent or the state for the birth of a child.

     "Conference board" means a method used by the division of child support for resolving complaints regarding DCS cases and for granting exceptional or extraordinary relief from debt.

     "Consent order" means a support order that reflects the agreement of the noncustodial parent, the custodial parent and the division of child support. A consent order requires the approval of an administrative law judge.

     "Court order" means a judgment, decree or order of a Washington state superior court, another state's court of comparable jurisdiction, or a tribal court.

     "Current support" or "current and future support" means the amount of child support which is owed for each month.

     "Custodial parent" means the person, whether a parent or not, with whom a dependent child resides the majority of the time period for which the division of child support seeks to establish or enforce a support obligation.

     "Date the state assumes responsibility for the support of a dependent child on whose behalf support is sought" means the date that the TANF or AFDC program grant is effective. For purposes of this chapter, the state remains responsible for the support of a dependent child until public assistance terminates, or support enforcement services end, whichever occurs later.

     "Delinquency" means failure to pay current child support when due.

     "Department" means the Washington state department of social and health services (DSHS).

     "Dependent child" means a person:

     (1) Seventeen years of age or younger who is not self-supporting, married, or a member of the United States armed forces;

     (2) Eighteen years of age or older for whom a court order requires support payments past age eighteen;

     (3) Eighteen years of age or older, but under nineteen years of age, for whom an administrative support order exists if the child is participating full-time in a secondary school program or the same level of vocational or technical training.

     "Disposable earnings" means the amount of earnings remaining after the deduction of amounts required by law to be withheld.

     "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal service. Earnings include:

     (1) Wages or salary;

     (2) Commissions and bonuses;

     (3) Periodic payments under pension plans, retirement programs, and insurance policies of any type;

     (4) Disability payments under Title 51 RCW;

     (5) Unemployment compensation under RCW 50.40.020, 50.40.050 and Title 74 RCW;

     (6) Gains from capital, labor, or a combination of the two; and

     (7) The fair value of nonmonetary compensation received in exchange for personal services.

     "Employee" means a person to whom an employer is paying, owes, or anticipates paying earnings in exchange for services performed for the employer.

     "Employer" means any person or organization having an employment relationship with any person. This includes:

     (1) Partnerships and associations;

     (2) Trusts and estates;

     (3) Joint stock companies and insurance companies;

     (4) Domestic and foreign corporations;

     (5) The receiver or trustee in bankruptcy; and

     (6) The trustee or legal representative of a deceased person.

     "Employment" means personal services of whatever nature, including service in interstate commerce, performed for earnings or under any contract for personal services. Such a contract may be written or oral, express or implied.

     "Family" means the person or persons on whose behalf support is sought, which may include a custodial parent and one or more children, or a child or children in foster care placement. The family is sometimes called the assistance unit.

     "Family member" means the caretaker relative, the child(ren), and any other person whose needs are considered in determining eligibility for assistance.

     "Foreign order" means a court or administrative order entered by a tribunal other than one in the state of Washington.

     "Foster care case" means a case referred to the Title IV-D agency by the Title IV-E agency, which is the state division of child and family services (DCFS).

     "Fraud," for the purposes of vacating an agreed settlement or consent order, means:

     (1) The representation of the existence or the nonexistence of a fact;

     (2) The representation's materiality;

     (3) The representation's falsity;

     (4) The speaker's knowledge that the representation is false;

     (5) The speaker's intent that the representation should be acted on by the person to whom it is made;

     (6) Ignorance of the falsity on the part of the person to whom it is made;

     (7) The latter's:

     (a) Reliance on the truth of the representation;

     (b) Right to rely on it; and

     (c) Subsequent damage.

     "Full support enforcement services" means the entire range of services available in a Title IV-D case.

     "Good cause" for the purposes of late hearing requests and petitions to vacate orders on default means a substantial reason or legal justification for delay, including but not limited to the grounds listed in civil rule 60. The time periods used in civil rule 60 apply to good cause determinations in this chapter.

     "Head of household" means the parent or parents with whom the dependent child or children were residing at the time of placement in foster care.

     "Health care costs":

     (1) For the purpose of establishing support obligations under RCW 74.20A.055 and 74.20A.056, means medical, dental and optometrical expenses; and

     (2) For the purpose of enforcement action under chapters 26.23, 74.20 and 74.20A RCW, including the notice of support debt and the notice of support owed, means medical, dental and optometrical costs stated as a fixed dollar amount by a support order.

     "Health insurance" means insurance coverage for all medical services related to an individual's general health and well being. These services include, but are not limited to: Medical/surgical (inpatient, outpatient, physician) care, medical equipment (crutches, wheel chairs, prosthesis, etc.), pharmacy products, optometric care, dental care, orthodontic care, preventive care, mental health care, and physical therapy.

     "Hearing" means an adjudicative proceeding authorized by this chapter, or chapters 26.23, 74.20 and 74.20A RCW, conducted under chapter 388-02 WAC and chapter 34.05 RCW.

     "I/Me" means the person asking the question which appears as the title of a rule.

     "Income" includes:

     (1) All gains in real or personal property;

     (2) Net proceeds from the sale or exchange of real or personal property;

     (3) Earnings;

     (4) Interest and dividends;

     (5) Proceeds of insurance policies;

     (6) Other periodic entitlement to money from any source; and

     (7) Any other property subject to withholding for support under the laws of this state.

     "Income withholding action" includes all withholding actions which DCS is authorized to take, and includes but is not limited to the following actions:

     (1) Asserting liens under RCW 74.20A.060;

     (2) Serving and enforcing liens under chapter 74.20A RCW;

     (3) Issuing orders to withhold and deliver under chapter 74.20A RCW;

     (4) Issuing notices of payroll deduction under chapter 26.23 RCW; and

     (5) Obtaining wage assignment orders under RCW 26.18.080.

     "Locate" can mean efforts to obtain service of a support establishment notice in the manner prescribed by WAC 388-14A-3105.

     "Medical assistance" means medical benefits under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act provided to families as an alternative or supplement to TANF.

     "Medical support" means either or both:

     (1) Health care costs stated as a fixed dollar amount in a support order; and

     (2) Health insurance coverage for a dependent child.

     "National Medical Support Notice" or "NMSN" is a federally-mandated form that DCS uses to enforce a health insurance support obligation; the NMSN is a notice of enrollment as described in RCW 26.18.170.

     "Noncustodial parent" means the natural parent, adoptive parent, responsible stepparent or person who signed and filed an affidavit acknowledging paternity, from whom the state seeks support for a dependent child. Also called the NCP. A parent is considered to be an NCP when for the majority of the time during the period for which support is sought, the dependent child resided somewhere other than with that parent.

     "Other ordinary expense" means an expense incurred by a parent which:

     (1) Directly benefits the dependent child; and

     (2) Relates to the parent's residential time or visitation with the child.

     "Participant" means an employee or retiree who is eligible for coverage under an employer group health plan.

     "Past support" means support arrears.

     "Paternity testing" means blood testing or genetic tests of blood, tissue or bodily fluids. This is also called genetic testing.

     "Payment services only" or "PSO" means a case on which the division of child support's activities are limited to recording and distributing child support payments, and maintaining case records. A PSO case is not a IV-D case.

     "Permanently assigned arrearages" means those arrears which the state may collect and retain up to the amount of unreimbursed assistance.

     "Physical custodian" means custodial parent (CP).

     "Plan administrator" means the person or entity which performs those duties specified under 29 USC 1002 (16)(A) for a health plan. If no plan administrator is specifically so designated by the plan's organizational documents, the plan's sponsor is the administrator of the plan. Sometimes an employer acts as its own plan administrator.

     "Putative father" includes all men who may possibly be the father of the child or children on whose behalf the application for assistance or support enforcement services is made.

     "Reasonable efforts to locate" means any of the following actions performed by the division of child support:

     (1) Mailing a support establishment notice to the noncustodial parent in the manner described in WAC 388-14A-3105;

     (2) Referral to a sheriff or other server of process, or to a locate service or department employee for locate activities;

     (3) Tracing activity such as:

     (a) Checking local telephone directories and attempts by telephone or mail to contact the custodial parent, relatives of the noncustodial parent, past or present employers, or the post office;

     (b) Contacting state agencies, unions, financial institutions or fraternal organizations;

     (c) Searching periodically for identification information recorded by other state agencies, federal agencies, credit bureaus, or other record-keeping agencies or entities; or

     (d) Maintaining a case in the division of child support's automated locate program, which is a continuous search process.

     (4) Referral to the state or federal parent locator service;

     (5) Referral to the attorney general, prosecuting attorney, the IV-D agency of another state, or the Department of the Treasury for specific legal or collection action;

     (6) Attempting to confirm the existence of and to obtain a copy of a paternity acknowledgment; or

     (7) Conducting other actions reasonably calculated to produce information regarding the NCP's whereabouts.

     "Required support obligation for the current month" means the amount set by a superior court order, tribal court order, or administrative order for support which is due in the month in question.

     "Resident" means a person physically present in the state of Washington who intends to make their home in this state. A temporary absence from the state does not destroy residency once it is established.

     "Residential care" means foster care, either state or federally funded.

     "Residential parent" means the custodial parent (CP), or the person with whom the child resides that majority of the time.

     "Responsible parent" is a term sometimes used for a noncustodial parent.

     "Responsible stepparent" means a stepparent who has established an in loco parentis relationship with the dependent child.

     "Retained support" means a debt owed to the division of child support by anyone other than a noncustodial parent.

     "Satisfaction of judgment" means payment in full of a court-ordered support obligation, or a determination that such an obligation is no longer enforceable.

     "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and health services or the secretary's designee.

     "State" means a state or political subdivision, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a federally recognized Indian tribe or a foreign country.

     "Superior court order" means a judgment, decree or order of a Washington state superior court, or of another state's court of comparable jurisdiction.

     "Support debt" means support which was due under a support order but has not been paid. This includes:

     (1) Delinquent support;

     (2) A debt for the payment of expenses for the reasonable or necessary care, support and maintenance including health care costs, birth costs, child care costs, and special child rearing expenses of a dependent child or other person;

     (3) A debt under RCW 74.20A.100 or 74.20A.270; or

     (4) Accrued interest, fees, or penalties charged on a support debt, and attorney's fees and other litigation costs awarded in an action under Title IV-D to establish or enforce a support obligation.

     "Support enforcement services" means all actions the Title IV-D agency is required to perform under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and state law.

     "Support establishment notice" means a notice and finding of financial responsibility under WAC 388-14A-3115, a notice and finding of parental responsibility under WAC 388-14A-3120, or a notice and finding of medical responsibility under WAC 388-14A-3125.

     "Support money" means money paid to satisfy a support obligation, whether it is called child support, spousal support, alimony, maintenance, medical support, or birth costs.

     "Support obligation" means the obligation to provide for the necessary care, support and maintenance of a dependent child or other person as required by law, including health insurance coverage, health care costs, birth costs, and child care or special child rearing expenses.

     "Temporarily assigned arrearages" means those arrears which accrue prior to the family receiving assistance, for assistance applications dated on or after October 1, 1997.

     "Title IV-A" means Title IV-A of the Social Security Act established under Title XX of the Social Security amendments and as incorporated in Title 42 USC.

     "Title IV-A agency" means the part of the department of social and health services which carries out the state's responsibilities under the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program (and the aid for dependent children (AFDC) program when it existed).

     "Title IV-D" means Title IV-D of the Social Security Act established under Title XX of the Social Security amendments and as incorporated in Title 42 USC.

     "Title IV-D agency" or "IV-D agency" means the division of child support, which is the agency responsible for carrying out the Title IV-D plan in the state of Washington. Also refers to the Washington state support registry (WSSR).

     "Title IV-D case" is a case in which the division of child support provides services which qualifies for funding under the Title IV-D plan.

     "Title IV-D plan" means the plan established under the conditions of Title IV-D and approved by the secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.

     "Title IV-E" means Title IV-E of the Social Security Act established under Title XX of the Social Security amendments and as incorporated in Title 42 U.S.C.

     "Title IV-E case" means a foster care case.

     "Tribunal" means a state court, tribal court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial entity authorized to establish, enforce or modify support orders or to determine parentage.

     "Unreimbursed assistance" means the cumulative amount of assistance which was paid to the family and which has not been reimbursed by assigned support collections.

     "We" means the division of child support, part of the department of social and health services of the state of Washington.

     "WSSR" is the Washington state support registry.

     "You" means the reader of the rules, a member of the public, or a recipient of support enforcement services.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 34.05.220(1), 74.08.090, 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056, 74.20A.310. 05-14-101, § 388-14A-1020, filed 6/30/05, effective 7/31/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.20A.310, and 26.18.170, 42 U.S.C. 666 (a)(19), Child Support Performance and Incentives Act of 1998, 45 C.F.R. 303.31, and 45 C.F.R. 303.32. 04-17-119, § 388-14A-1020, filed 8/17/04, effective 9/17/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.035, 34.05.220(1), 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-1020, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-11-011 and 388-14-020.]

     (2) These services continue until the support enforcement case is closed under WAC 388-14A-2080.

     (3) The CP's public assistance application is an assignment of support rights.

     (4) An application for Medicaid, medical assistance or medical benefits under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act is an assignment of the medical support rights of anyone receiving those benefits, and the CP authorizes DCS to provide support enforcement services to the family as follows:

     (a) DCS provides full support enforcement services as provided under subsection (1) above for a family receiving cash assistance, or under WAC 388-14A-2000 (2)(d) to a family receiving Medicaid-only benefits;

     (b) As set forth in WAC 388-14A-2000(3), DCS provides only payment processing, records maintenance, paternity establishment, medical support establishment and medical support enforcement services when a recipient of Medicaid-only benefits declines full support enforcement services in writing.

     (5) WAC 388-14A-2036 describes the assignment of support rights.

     (((5))) (6) If the community services office grants the CP good cause not to cooperate under WAC 388-422-0020, DCS does not provide services. See WAC 388-14A-2065.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.035, 34.05.220(1), 74.20A.310, 45 CFR 303.106. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-2005, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-14-205.]

     (2) DCS provides either full or limited nonassistance support enforcement services for recipients of Medicaid-only benefits as provided in WAC 388-14A-2005(4).

     (3) Some cases do not receive full support enforcement services. Nonassistance cases where DCS provides payment processing services are called payment services only (PSO) cases.

     (((3))) (4) In a PSO case, DCS provides only records maintenance and payment processing services if the payee under a support order does not submit an application for support enforcement services and the:

     (a) Order directs support payments to DCS or to the Washington state support registry (WSSR); and

     (b) The clerk of the court submitted the order under RCW 26.23.050.

     (((4))) (5) DCS continues to provide services without an application after a:

     (a) Public assistance recipient stops receiving cash assistance; or

     (b) Recipient of Medicaid-only benefits becomes ineligible for Medicaid-only benefits, unless the recipient declines support enforcement services or requests additional services.

     (((5))) (6) If you receive services as a former recipient of assistance, as described in subsection (((4))) (5), you must cooperate with DCS in the same way as when you received a grant.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-2025, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01.]

     (2) As a condition of eligibility for assistance, a family member must assign to the state the right to collect and keep, subject to the limitation in subsection (3), any support owing to the family member or to any other person for whom the family member has applied for or is receiving assistance.

     (3) Amounts assigned under this section may not exceed the lesser of the total amount of assistance paid to the family or the total amount of the assigned support obligation.

     (4) When you receive Medicaid or medical benefits, you assign your rights to medical support to the state. This applies to all recipients of medical assistance under the state program funded under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.035, 34.05.220(1), 74.20A.270, 74.20A.310. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-2035, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-14-200.]

     (2) While your family receives assistance, all support collected is retained by the state to reimburse the total amount of assistance which has been paid to your family.

     (3) After your family terminates from assistance, certain accrued arrears remain assigned to the state in accordance with the following rules:

     (a) For assistance applications dated prior to October 1, 1997, you permanently assign to the state all rights to support which accrued before the application date and which will accrue prior to the date your family terminates from assistance.

     (b) For assistance applications dated on or after October 1, 1997, and before October 1, 2000:

     (i) You permanently assign to the state all rights to support which accrue while your family receives assistance; and

     (ii) You temporarily assign to the state all rights to support which accrued before the application date, until October 1, 2000, or when your family terminates from assistance, whichever date is later. After this date, if any remaining arrears are collected by federal income tax refund offset, the state retains such amounts, up to the amount of unreimbursed assistance.

     (c) For assistance applications dated on or after October 1, 2000:

     (i) You permanently assign to the state all rights to support which accrue while the family receives assistance; and

     (ii) You temporarily assign to the state all rights to support which accrued before the application date, until the date your family terminates from assistance. After this date, if any remaining arrears are collected by federal income tax refund offset, the state retains such amounts, up to the amount of unreimbursed assistance.

     (4) When you assign your medical support rights to the state, you authorize the state on behalf of yourself and the children in your care to enforce the noncustodial parent's full duty to provide medical support.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.035, 34.05.220(1), 74.20A.270, 74.20A.310. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-2036, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-14-200.]

     (2) Cooperation means giving information, attending interviews, attending hearings, or taking actions to help DCS establish and collect child support. This information and assistance is necessary for DCS to:

     (a) Identify and locate the responsible parent;

     (b) Establish the paternity of the child(ren) on assistance in the CP's care; and

     (c) Establish or collect support payments or resources such as property due the CP or the child(ren).

     (3) The CP must also cooperate by sending to DCS any child support received by the CP while on assistance, as required by RCW 74.20A.275 (3)(c). If the client keeps these payments, known as retained support, the CP must sign an agreement to repay under RCW 74.20A.275, and the CP must honor that agreement.

     (4) The cooperation requirements of subsections (1) and (2) above, but not subsection (3), apply to a recipient of Medicaid-only assistance.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 34.05.310 (4)(d), 26.23.035, 74.20A.310. 03-20-072, § 388-14A-2040, filed 9/29/03, effective 10/30/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.035, 74.20A.310. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-2040, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-14-201.]

     (a) DCS receives the application for nonassistance services if the CP applies directly to DCS for services; or

     (b) Another state or Indian tribe received the application for nonassistance services or the actual date the other state or tribe requests that child support start, whichever is later, if the other state or Indian tribe requests DCS to establish a support order.

     (2) When the children are receiving Medicaid-only benefits, DCS starts the claim for support as of the date the Medicaid benefits began. See WAC 388-14A-2005(4) to determine whether DCS seeks to establish medical support only for a particular case.

     (3) This section does not limit in any way the right of the court to order payment for back support as provided in RCW 26.26.130 and 26.26.134 if the case requires paternity establishment.

     (((3))) (4) When another state or an Indian tribe is paying public assistance to the CP and children, DCS starts the claim for support as of the date specified by the other state or tribe.

     (((4))) (5) For the notice and finding of parental responsibility, WAC 388-14A-3120(9) limits the back support obligation.

     (((5))) (6) When the state of Washington is paying public assistance to the CP and/or the children, the following rules apply:

     (a) For support obligations owed for months on or after September 1, 1979, DCS must exercise reasonable efforts to locate the noncustodial parent (NCP);

     (b) DCS serves a notice and finding of financial or parental responsibility within sixty days of the date the state assumes responsibility for the support of a dependent child on whose behalf support is sought;

     (c) If DCS does not serve the notice within sixty days, DCS loses the right to reimbursement of public assistance payments made after the sixtieth day and before the notice is served;

     (d) DCS does not lose the right to reimbursement of public assistance payments for any period of time:

     (i) During which DCS exercised reasonable efforts to locate the NCP; or

     (ii) For sixty days after the date on which DCS received an acknowledgment of paternity for the child for whom the state has assumed responsibility, and paternity has not been established.

     (((6))) (7) The limitation in subsection (((5))) (6) does not apply to:

     (a) Cases in which the physical custodian is claiming good cause for not cooperating with the department; and

     (b) Cases where parentage is an issue and:

     (i) Has not been established by superior court order; or

     (ii) Is not the subject of a presumption under RCW 26.26.320.

     (((7))) (8) DCS considers a prorated share of each monthly public assistance payment as paid on each day of the month.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.20A.055, and 74.20A.310. 05-14-099, § 388-14A-3350, filed 6/30/05, effective 7/31/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 34.05.310 (4)(d) and 74.20A.055. 03-20-072, § 388-14A-3350, filed 9/29/03, effective 10/30/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.20A.055. 01-03-089, § 388-14A-3350, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-11-045.]