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               ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2900

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Cooke, Ballasiotes, McDonald, Boldt and Mitchell)

Read first time 01/30/98.  Referred to Committee on .

Providing for pro rata calculation of temporary assistance for needy families grants. 

    AN ACT Relating to pro rata calculation of temporary assistance for needy families grants; adding a new section to chapter 74.08A RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.08A RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall study and report on the feasibility of adopting a pro rata calculation for grant amounts.  The study shall include but not be limited to the following:  (a) The benefits and difficulties regarding implementation; (b) the fiscal impact; (c) appropriate good cause exceptions; (d) methods and rules for preventing abuse of the exceptions; (e) recommendations on alternative calculation systems.

    (2) The department shall report its findings to the children and family services committee of house of representatives and to the human services and corrections committee of the senate by November 30, 1998.

    (3) For the purpose of this section "pro rata" shall refer to a benefit calculation system in which a recipient's grant amount for any month reflects the recipient's participation in any required work activity, including a reduction in the grant amount for the number of work units or work activity units required by the department under P.L. 104-193 and this chapter that the recipient fails to perform.

    (4) This section expires December 31, 1998.

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