WSR 19-15-103

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

[Filed July 22, 2019, 1:10 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department is planning to amend WAC 388-310-1600 WorkFirst—Sanctions, 388-400-0005 Who is eligible for temporary assistance for needy families?, 388-484-0006 TANF/SFA time limit extensions, and other related rules as may be required.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 41.05.021, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.025, 74.08.090, chapter 74.08A RCW, RCW 74.09.035, 74.09.530, chapter 74.12 RCW, RCW 74.62.030, 2SHB 1603 (chapter 343, Laws of 2019).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The planned amendments are necessary to implement 2SHB 1603 (chapter 343, Laws of 2019), removing permanent disqualification after three WorkFirst noncompliance sanction terminations and adding homelessness to the criteria for hardship time limit extensions beyond the sixty month temporary assistance for needy families lifetime limit.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: The department of social and health services (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 Sarah Mintzer, P.O. Box 45440 [45470], Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone 360-725-4619, fax 360-725-4904.

July 22, 2019

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator