Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department plans to amend rules in TITLE 388 WAC related to standards and allotments for Washington Basic Food program or the WASHCAP including WAC 388-412-0015 General information about your food assistance allotments, 388-478-0060 What are the income limits and maximum benefit amounts for Basic Food?, and other related rules.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 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: The proposed amendments will update Basic Food standards and allotments based on the expiration of the Basic Food increase under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and amended by the Food and Nutrition Services, Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act 2010.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) enforces the provisions of the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) as enacted in the 2008 Food and Nutrition Act and other related public laws. USDA codifies these requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations - Title 7, Part 273. USDA also provides implementation requirements to states via administrative notice or memo.

     The state legislature authorizes the department to administer the food stamp program (SNAP) and food assistance program for legal immigrants under RCW 74.04.500, 74.04.510, and 74.08A.120.

     DSHS incorporates regulations from the federal agencies, exercises state options, and implements approved waivers of federal regulatory requirements by adopting administrative rules for food assistance programs administered under the Washington Basic Food program. The department adopts rules related to other benefit programs consistent with state law, federal authorizing statutes, as well as federal rules and regulations related to DSHS administered programs.

     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 Holly St. John, Policy Analyst, Community Services Division, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone (360) 725-4895, fax (360) 725-4904, e-mail stjohhc@dshs.wa.gov.

April 16, 2013

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator