S-3690.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6347

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Deccio, McDonald, McCaslin, Benton, Hochstatter, Rossi, Morton, Hale, Long, Oke, Roach, Swecker, Johnson, Schow, Stevens, West, Anderson, Wood, Horn and Sellar

Read first time 01/16/98.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Using income averaging to determine eligibility of seasonal workers for temporary assistance for needy families.

    AN ACT Relating to income averaging for eligibility for temporary assistance for needy families benefits; and adding a new section to chapter 74.08A RCW.

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:

    In the case of applicants for temporary assistance for needy families whose principal source of earned income is employment within the twelve months before application in an industry with the standard industrial classification (SIC) code of 01‑09 (agriculture, forestry, or fishing), the department shall determine eligibility and benefit levels by retrospectively considering the applicant's earned income for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the application for assistance.  The earned income shall be prorated on an annual basis, and the prorated amount used for eligibility and benefit determination in the prospective month. Assistance shall be denied until the applicant's prorated prior twelve months of income equals a monthly amount at or below the eligibility level.  The intent of the legislature is to ensure that persons with recent employment in industries that experience significant seasonal employment fluctuations will be denied assistance until such time as they qualify on a prorated basis.

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