PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amending WAC 388-470-0075 How vehicles are counted for food assistance, to include vehicles as inaccessible resources, by excluding those vehicles with a value that is less than one-half of the applicable resource limit for the household.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, and 74.08.090.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Many working families formerly resource ineligible due to the fair market value of a vehicle may, under the new interpretation of inaccessible resources, be eligible to receive food assistance benefits. Families will no longer have to sacrifice nutritional needs in order to own a reliable vehicle that is helping the family achieve self-sufficiency.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rule. Anyone interested in participating should contact the staff person below. After the rule is drafted, DSHS will file a copy with the Office of the Code Reviser with a notice of proposed rule making and send a copy to everyone currently on the mailing list and to anyone else who requests a copy. DSHS will consider all comments. The Economic Services Administration's regulatory improvement team (RIT) will also review these rules before adoption.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Vicky Robinson, Division of Assistance Programs, P.O. Box 45470, Olympia, WA 98504-5470, phone (360) 413-3031, fax (360) 413-3493, e-mail ROBINVT@DSHS.WA.GOV.
July 25, 2000
Marie Myerchin-Redifer, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit