PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department is proposing to amend WAC 388-310-0400 Entering the WorkFirst program as a mandatory participant, 388-310-0500 WorkFirst, individual responsibility plan, 388-310-0900 WorkFirst, basic education, 388-310-1000 WorkFirst, vocational education, 388-310-1050 WorkFirst, skills enhancement training, and other related WACs.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: 45 C.F.R. 260, 42 U.S.C. 601, chapters 74.08A and 74.12 RCW, RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.08.090, 74.04.057.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: These changes are being proposed to invoke new options under the final Deficit Reduction Act, and to maximize the state's ability to meet the federal work participation rate.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agency on Children and Families (ACF) oversees the provisions of the Personal Work Responsibility Opportunity Act (PWROA) and the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA).
Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Stephanie Nielsen, WorkFirst Policy Program Manager, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone (360) 725-4699, fax (360) 725-4905, e-mail nielssm@dshs.wa.gov.
September 23, 2008
Stephanie E. Schiller
Rules Coordinator