SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6060

                      AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 7, 1992

Brief Description:  Making changes regarding the coordination of general assistance programs.

SPONSORS: Senators Roach and Stratton; by request of Dept. of Social and Health Services

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chairman; Craswell, and Stratton.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7472)

Hearing Dates: January 27, 1992; January 28, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Some persons with applications pending for federal supplemental security income benefits qualify for interim general assistance based upon incapacity for gainful employment.  Sometimes assistance from these federal and state sources may overlap, creating duplication of benefits.  Difficulty has been encountered by the department in recouping the amount of such duplicate assistance.

Resource eligibility for purposes of qualifying for assistance under supplemental security income and general assistance-unemployable, and aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) is inconsistent, sometime creating anomalous results among similar cases served in different locations.

Federal and state laws differ, for purposes of administering AFDC funds, in their designations of what constitutes residence with a "relative of specified degree" for a dependent child in need.  Federal law is less restrictive in its qualifying definitions.

SUMMARY:

Recovery of interim assistance duplicate payment is enhanced by treating such payment as a debt due the state and subject to available legal remedies.

Resource eligibility is based upon resource limitations consistent with federal aid to families with dependent children program rules, as adopted by the department.

The definition of "relative of specified degree," for purposes of determining child residence in AFDC benefit decisions, conforms to the definition contained in the Code of Federal Regulations.

An obsolete waiver provision is repealed.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

The bill would enable DSHS to recover duplicate benefit payments and conform statutory definition to federal law.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Bernice Morehead, Division of Income Assistance, DSHS