BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to rent vouchers for public assistance; adding a new section to chapter 74.04 RCW; creating new sections; providing a contingent expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) At the request of a recipient of aid under this section, the department shall provide the portion of the grant equal to the amount of the recipient's rent to the recipient's landlord in the form of a rent voucher or by an alternative payment method.

(2) A two-party payment shall be made whenever a recipient of aid under this section has failed to pay rent to the landlord for two months or more, unless the failure to pay rent is authorized by law. In this subsection, "two-party payment" means a check drawn in favor of a recipient of aid under this section and the recipient's landlord, jointly.

(3) If a landlord reports to the department, under department rule, that a recipient has failed to pay rent for two or more months, the department shall do all of the following:

(a) Inform the recipient of the report;

(b) Investigate the report;

(c) If it determines that the conditions for issuing a two-party payment under subsection (2) of this section are met, inform the recipient of the right to a fair hearing on the issue of whether two-party payment of rent should be made;

(d) If it determines that two-party payments should not be made, inform the recipient and the landlord of that determination.

(4) When it has been determined that a two-party payment of rent should be made, the department shall issue the recipient's monthly grant in two checks, a two-party payment for the amount of the rent, and a check drawn in favor of the recipient for the balance of the grant amount.

(5) The department shall review each case in which a two-party payment is being made at least once every twelve months and whenever a recipient reports that a condition for the cessation of two-party payments exists.

(6) The department shall cease making a two-party payment, when the department determines that any of the following conditions exists:

(a) A two-party payment has been made for twenty-four consecutive months;

(b) The recipient has reimbursed the landlord for all back rent owed;

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The governor and the department of social and health services shall seek all necessary exemptions and waivers from and amendments to federal statutes, rules, and regulations and shall report to the appropriate committees in the house of representatives and senate quarterly on the efforts to secure the federal changes to permit full implementation of section 1 of this act at the earliest possible date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. In the event that the department of social and health services is not able to obtain the necessary exemptions, waivers, or amendments referred to in section 2 of this act before January 1, 1998, this act shall expire on that date and shall have no further force or effect.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and this finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the agencies concerned. The rules under this act shall meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.