WSR 97-20-120

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

(Medical Assistance Administration)

(Aging and Adult Services Administration)

[Filed October 1, 1997, 9:36 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Economic Services Administration, working in collaboration with the Medical Assistance Administration and the Aging and Adult Services Administration, is reviewing all its rules, policies and other issuances for compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Executive Order 97-02, and the Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Order on Regulatory Improvement. This review may result in the repeal or amendment of existing rules or the adoption of the Department of Social and Health Services rules that affect the Economic Services Administration, the Medical Assistance Administration, or the Aging and Adult Services Administration services. A full list of the rules, policies and other issuances under review may [be] requested through contact information below.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: The Economic Services Administration receives statutory authority to adopt rules from many sources, including: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.57 [74.04.057], 74.04.090. Specific statutory authority will be provided for each rule filing that follows from this review.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: State and federal changes in the public assistance programs require the state to update all its rules relating to these services. As part of that update, Economic Services Administration has set several goals: To write all rules in a simple, clear, effective style targeted to the person meant to use the rule; to fully include the public, clients, vendors, advocates and other parts of government in rule development; to streamline and consolidate rules as much as possible; and to repeal all rules that are not needed for effective program operation, by federal or state mandate, or to provide clear guidance to clients.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Employment Security Department, the Social Security Administration, and other administrations within the Department of Social and Health Services may need to be involved. Economic Services Administration will coordinate with all other affected agencies and include them in mailings, invitations to participate in meetings regarding these rule changes and any other rule development activities. Whenever possible, announcements of opportunities to collaborate will be published in the Washington State Register and posted on agency Internet pages.

Process for Developing New Rule: All existing rules and policies will be reviewed. A special rule improvement team (RIT) will develop a training plan, acceptable format criteria for review and public participation and provide oversight during the process. After its initial development using the RIT process, each rule will be developed and adopted as required by the Department of Social and Health Services policy and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. To have your name added to the list of interested parties to receive mailings and meeting announcements, contact Sydney Martin Doré, Regulatory Improvement Team, Economic Services Administration, Lacey Government Center, Olympia, WA 98506-5855, phone (360) 407-3610, FAX (360) 413-3495, e-mail sdore@dshs.wa.gov and/or doresm@dshs.wa.gov.

September 30, 1997

Jerry W. Friedman

Assistant Secretary