Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

     Purpose: The division of child support (DCS) seeks to clarify its rules regarding when a claim for child support starts as a result of the family receiving Medicaid or medical-only assistance.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-14A-1020, 388-14A-2005, 388-14A-2025, 388-14A-2035, 388-14A-2036, 388-14A-2040, and 388-14A-3350.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.20A.310.

     Other Authority: 45 C.F.R. 302.31, 45 C.F.R. 302.33.

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

     Reasons for this Finding: This filing is necessary to bridge the gap between the expiration of the emergency rule-making order filed as WSR 05-18-034 and the effective date of the rule-making order which will be filed after the rule-making hearing set for December 6, 2005, under WSR 05-21-103.

     DCS' federal funding depends on compliance with the state plan under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, which requires that the state have in place procedures and laws regarding opening a full support enforcement services case when a family begins to receive Medicaid assistance. It has come to our attention that our WAC does not specifically cover these cases and is subject to an interpretation which would make it impossible for DCS to base a claim for support on the opening of a Medicaid case. DCS seeks to clear up any confusion in the rule.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: December 23, 2005.

Andy Fernando, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     Reviser's note: The material contained in this filing exceeded the page-count limitations of WAC 1-21-040 for appearance in this issue of the Register. It will appear in the 06-03 issue of the Register.