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                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5155

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Labor & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Fairley, Brown and Patterson)

Read first time 03/03/1999.

Authorizing a food assistance program for legal immigrants who are ineligible for food stamps.

    AN ACT Relating to temporary assistance for needy families; and amending RCW 74.08A.120.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 74.08A.120 and 1997 c 57 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department may establish a food assistance program for ((persons whose immigrant status meets the eligibility requirements of the federal food stamp program, but who are no longer eligible solely due to their immigrant status under P.L. 104-193)) legal immigrants who are ineligible for the federal food stamp program.

    (2) The rules for the state food assistance program shall follow exactly the rules of the federal food stamp program except for the provisions pertaining to immigrant status ((under P.L. 104-193)).

    (3) The benefit under the state food assistance program shall be established by the legislature in the biennial operating budget.

    (4) The department may enter into a contract with the United States department of agriculture to use the existing federal food stamp program coupon system for the purposes of administering the state food assistance program.

    (5) In the event the department is unable to enter into a contract with the United States department of agriculture, the department may issue vouchers to eligible households for the purchase of eligible foods at participating retailers.

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