WSR 97-11-079

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Public Assistance)

[Filed May 21, 1997, 11:14 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-218-1210 Exempt and disregarded income--Educational assistance, 388-218-1300 Self-employment income, 388-218-1350 Deductible self-employment expenses, 388-218-1410 Earned income of a child, 388-218-1420 Earned income disregards--General, 388-218-1430 Earned income disregards--Deduction sequence, 388-218-1440 Work expense disregard, 388-218-1450 Thirty dollars and one-third disregard, 388-218-1460 Thirty-dollar disregard, 388-218-1470 Dependent care disregard, 388-218-1480 Circumstances where earned income disregards are not allowed, 388-218-1630 Allocation of assistance unit income for support of legal dependents, 388-218-1710 Income tests, 388-218-1730 One hundred percent of need test, and 388-218-1740 Payment standard test.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Public Law 104-193, Section 103 (a)(1); EHB 3901 (1997); RCW 74.08.090.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: To comply with EHB 3901 to implement a gross earned income disregard of one-half of the client's monthly earned income and to disregard the earned income of a full-time student or a part-time student carrying at least half the normal school load and working fewer than thirty-five hours per week. Enactment of EHB 3901, section 308, removes reference to the $30 & 1/3 and $30 income disregards.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: The department will involve all interested persons in drafting the rule. Those who wish to participate in the drafting process may contact the Department of Social and Health Services at the address listed below. Internal (management) and external (field staff) review process whereby draft material is distributed for review and comment. All comments are taken into consideration before the final rule is issued.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Cindy Anderson, Program Manager, TANF/Refugee Assistance Program Support Section, WorkFirst Division, P.O. Box 45480, Olympia, WA 98504-5400, phone (360) 413-3095, FAX (360) 413-3495.

May 21, 1997

Merry A. Kogut, Manager