PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Recovery Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-466-0005 Immigration status requirement for refugee assistance and 388-466-0130 Refugee medical assistance (RMA).
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.09.530, and 74.09.700; chapter 5, Laws of 2007 (2SSB 5093).
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is proposing the following changes:
• In WAC 388-466-0005, adding "victim of trafficking" to refugee cash assistance (RCA) and RMA eligibility and substituting "United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)" for what was formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
• In WAC 388-466-0130, changing the wording from "CHIP" to "children's healthcare," and adding "victim of human trafficking" to RMA eligibility.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department invites the interested public to review and provide input on the draft language of this rule. Draft material and information about how to participate may be obtained from the department representative listed below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Colleen Clifford, HRSA Program Manager, P.O. Box 45534, Olympia, WA 98504-5534, phone (360) 725-2075, fax (360) 664-0190, TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail cliffcj@dshs.wa.gov.
November 5, 2007
Stephanie E. Schiller
Rules Coordinator