Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department is proposing to amend rules in TITLE 388 WAC to establish eligibility and benefit level for a state-funded food assistance program. This may include creating new rules and amending the following (and any other related) rules: WAC 388-400-0040 Am I eligible for benefits through the Washington Basic Food program?, 388-412-0015 General information about your food assistance allotments, 388-424-0020 How does my alien status impact my eligibility for Washington Basic Food program benefits?, 388-489-0010 How is my transitional food assistance benefit calculated?, and 388-489-0025 Can my transitional food assistance benefits end before the end of my five-month transition period?

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Pursuant to RCW 74.08A.120 and 3ESHB 2127, Laws of 2012, the department is establishing a state-funded food assistance program for legal immigrants that will provide benefits at fifty percent of the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program benefit amount.

     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 Kim Chea, Program Manager, Community Services Division, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone (360) 725-4653, fax (360) 725-4905, e-mail kimberly.chea@dshs.wa.gov.

May 17, 2012

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator

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