Z-0328.1

SENATE BILL 5566

BySenators Kuderer, Lovelett, Das, Dhingra, Fortunato, Nguyen, Saldaña, and C. Wilson; by request of Department of Commerce

AN ACT Relating to expanding eligibility for the independent youth housing program; and amending RCW 43.63A.307.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 43.63A.307 and 2009 c 148 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Department" means the department of ((community, trade, and economic development))commerce.

(2) "Eligible youth" means an individual who:

(a) On or after September 1, 2006, is at least eighteen, was a dependent of the state under chapter 13.34 RCW at any time ((during the four-month period)) before his or her eighteenth birthday, and has not yet reached the age of ((twenty-three))25;

(b) Except as provided in RCW 43.63A.309(2)(a), has a total income from all sources, except for temporary sources that include, but are not limited to, overtime wages, bonuses, or short-term temporary assignments, that does not exceed fifty percent of the area median income;

(c) ((Is not receiving services under RCW 74.13.031(10)(b);

(d))) Complies with other eligibility requirements the department may establish.

(3) "Fair market rent" means the fair market rent in each county of the state, as determined by the United States department of housing and urban development.

(4) "Independent housing" means a housing unit that is not owned by or located within the home of the eligible youth's biological parents or any of the eligible youth's former foster care families or dependency guardians. "Independent housing" may include a unit in a transitional or other supportive housing facility.

(5) "Individual development account" or "account" means an account established by contract between a low-income individual and a sponsoring organization for the benefit of the low-income individual and funded through periodic contributions by the low-income individual that are matched with contributions by or through the sponsoring organization.

(6) "Subcontractor organization" means an eligible organization described under RCW 43.185A.040 that contracts with the department to administer the independent youth housing program.

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