SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

[Filed October 15, 2021, 9:07 a.m., effective November 15, 2021]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: The department is amending WAC 388-478-0020 Payment standards for TANF, SFA and RCA, 388-478-0027 What is the payment standard for pregnant women assistance (PWA)?, 388-478-0035 What are the maximum earned income limits for TANF, SFA, PWA and RCA?, and 388-436-0050 Determining financial need and benefit amount for CEAP.

These amendments implement a 15 percent payment standard increase (effective July 1, 2021) for the TANF, SFA, RCA, and PWA programs, approved via the 2021-2023 operating budget. Amendments also update net income limits and allowable benefit amounts for the consolidated emergency assistance program.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-478-0020, 388-478-0027, 388-478-0035, and 388-436-0050.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.660, 74.08.090, and 74.08A.230.

Other Authority: ESSB 5092 (chapter 334, Laws of 2021).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 21-17-094 on August 13, 2021.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: October 15, 2021.

Katherine I. Vasquez

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 18-09-088, filed 4/17/18, effective 7/1/18)

WAC 388-436-0050Determining financial need and benefit amount for CEAP.

(1) To be eligible for the consolidated emergency assistance program (CEAP), the assistance unit's nonexcluded income, minus allowable deductions, must be less than or equal to ninety percent of the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) payment standard ((for households with shelter costs)). The net income limit for CEAP assistance units is:

Assistance unit members	Net income limit
1	(($327))$375
2	((413))475
3	((512))589
4	((603))694
5	((695))799
6	((789))908
7	((912))1,049
8 or more	((1,009))1,160

(2) The assistance unit's allowable amount of need is the lesser of:

(a) The TANF payment standard, based on assistance unit size, ((for households with shelter costs)) as specified under WAC 388-478-0020; or

(b) The assistance unit's actual emergent need, not to exceed maximum allowable amounts, for the following items:

Need item: Maximum allowable amount by assistance unit size:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8 or more
Food	(($220)) $253	(($280)) $322	(($345)) $397	(($408)) $469	(($469)) $539	(($532)) $612	(($608)) $699	(($672)) $773
Shelter	((268)) 308	((339)) 390	((422)) 485	((497)) 572	((571)) 657	((647)) 744	((750)) 863	((828)) 952
Clothing	((31)) 36	((39)) 45	((49)) 56	((57)) 66	((66)) 76	((77)) 89	((85)) 98	((97)) 112
Minor medical care	((186)) 214	((237)) 273	((294)) 338	((345)) 397	((398)) 458	((449)) 516	((524)) 603	((578)) 665
Utilities	((91)) 105	((115)) 132	((142)) 163	((166)) 191	((191)) 220	((220)) 253	((254)) 292	((280)) 322
Household maintenance	((66)) 76	((84)) 97	((105)) 121	((122)) 140	((142)) 163	((161)) 185	((186)) 214	((204)) 235
Job related transportation	((363)) 417	((459)) 528	((569)) 654	((670)) 771	((772)) 888	((877)) 1,009	((1,013)) 1,165	((1,121)) 1,289
Child related transportation	((363)) 417	((459)) 528	((569)) 654	((670)) 771	((772)) 888	((877)) 1,009	((1,013)) 1,165	((1,121)) 1,289

(3) The assistance unit's CEAP payment is determined by computing the difference between the allowable amount of need, as determined under subsection (2) of this section, and the total of:

(a) The assistance unit's net income, as determined under subsection (1) of this section and WAC 388-436-0045;

(b) Cash on hand, if not already counted as income; and

(4) The assistance unit is not eligible for CEAP if the amount of income and resources, as determined in subsection (3) of this section, is equal to or exceeds its allowable amount of need.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 20-20-007, filed 9/24/20, effective 10/25/20)

WAC 388-478-0020Payment standards for TANF, SFA, and RCA.

The maximum monthly payment standards for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), and refugee cash assistance (RCA) assistance units are:

Assistance unit size	Payment standard	Assistance unit size	Payment standard
1	(($363)) $417	6	(($877)) $1,009
2	((459)) 528	7	((1,013)) 1,165
3	((569)) 654	8	((1,121)) 1,289
4	((670)) 771	9	((1,231)) 1,416
5	((772)) 888	10 or more	((1,338)) 1,539

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 20-20-007, filed 9/24/20, effective 10/25/20)

WAC 388-478-0027What is the payment standard for pregnant women assistance (PWA)?

The payment standard for a PWA cash assistance unit is:

Assistance Unit Size	Payment Standard
1	(($363))$417

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 18-09-088, filed 4/17/18, effective 7/1/18)

WAC 388-478-0035What are the maximum earned income limits for TANF, SFA, PWA, and RCA?

To be eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), refugee cash assistance (RCA), or a pregnant women assistance (PWA), a family's gross earned income must be below the following levels:

Number of family members	Maximum earned income level	Number of family members	Maximum monthly earned income level
1	(($726)) $834	6	(($1,754)) $2,018
2	((918)) 1,056	7	((2,026)) 2,330
3	((1,138)) 1,308	8	((2,242)) 2,578
4	((1,340)) 1,542	9	((2,462)) 2,832
5	((1,544)) 1,776	10 or more	((2,676)) 3,078