WSR 24-11-138
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
[Filed May 21, 2024, 1:28 p.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department of social and health services (department) is planning to amend WAC 388-400-0030 Who is eligible for refugee cash assistance?, 388-424-0001 Citizenship and immigration status—Definitions, 388-424-0006 Citizenship and alien status—Date of entry, 388-424-0015 Immigration eligibility restrictions for the SFA, ABD cash, and PWA programs, 388-424-0020 How does my alien status impact my eligibility for federally funded Basic Food benefits?, 388-424-0030 How does my immigration status impact my eligibility for state-funded benefits under the food assistance program?, 388-436-0002 If my family has an emergency, can I get help from DSHS to get or keep our housing or utilities?, 388-466-0005 Immigration status requirements for refugee cash assistance, 388-466-0120 Refugee cash assistance (RCA), and 388-466-0150 Refugee employment and training services.
During the course of this rule making, the department may amend or adopt other related rules as may be required.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Planned amendments will update definitions related to federal benefits for certain immigration statuses, and clarify eligibility information for refugee cash assistance, refugee employment and training services, and the additional requirements for emergent needs (AREN) program. If applicable, these amendments will make additional changes required to improve clarity, update policy, or better align rule language with state and federal law or regulations.
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 welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, the department 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 Yein Pyo, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone 360-819-0335, fax 360-725-4905, email yein.pyo@dshs.wa.gov.
May 21, 2024
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator