WSR 02-18-103

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)

[ Filed September 3, 2002, 3:30 p.m. , effective October 1, 2002 ]

     Date of Adoption: August 30, 2002.

     Purpose: Amending WAC 388-478-0060 What are my income limits for food assistance? The Division of Employment and Assistance Program is implementing federal changes in maximum benefit amounts, gross income limits, net income limits, and the 165% of poverty level on an annual basis.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-478-0060.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 7 C.F.R. 273.9.

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

     Reasons for this Finding: The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requires states to update maximum benefit amounts, gross income limits, net income limits, and the 165% of poverty level on an annual basis. FNS rules (7 C.F.R. 273.9) require that these changes take effect on October 1, 2002.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
     Effective Date of Rule: October 1, 2002.

August 29, 2002

Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

3161.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 01-21-059, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01)

WAC 388-478-0060   What are ((my)) the income limits and maximum benefit amounts for food assistance?   If your assistance unit (AU) meets all other eligibility requirements for food assistance, your AU must have income at or below the limits in column ((())B(())) and ((())C(())) to get food assistance, unless you meet one of the exceptions listed below((:)). The maximum monthly food assistance benefit your AU could receive is listed in column D.

EFFECTIVE 10-1-((2001)) 2002
Column A

Number of Eligible AU Members

 Column B

Maximum

Gross Monthly

Income

 Column C

Maximum Net

Monthly Income

 Column D

Maximum

Allotment

 Column E

165% of Poverty

Level
1 $((931)) 960 $((716)) 739 $((135)) 139 $((1,182)) 1,219
2 ((1,258)) 1,294 ((968))

995

 ((248))

256

 ((1,597)) 1,642
3 ((1,585)) 1,628 ((1,220)) 1,252 ((356))

366

 ((2,012)) 2,066
4 ((1,913)) 1,961 ((1,471)) 1,509 ((452))

465

 ((2,427)) 2,489
5 ((2,240)) 2,295 ((1,723)) 1,765 ((537))

553

 ((2,843)) 2,913
6 ((2,567)) 2,629 ((1,975)) 2,022 ((644))

663

 ((3,258)) 3,336
7 ((2,894)) 2,962 ((2,226)) 2,279 ((712))

733

 ((3,673)) 3,760
8 ((3,221)) 3,296 ((2,478)) 2,535 ((814))

838

 ((4,088)) 4,183
9 ((3,549)) 3,630 ((2,730)) 2,792 ((916))

943

 ((4,504)) 4,607
10 ((3,877)) 3,964 ((2,982)) 3,049 ((1,018))

1,048

 ((4,920)) 5,031
Each Additional Member +((328)) 334 +((252)) 257 +((102)) 105 +((416)) 424

     Exceptions:

     (1) If your AU is categorically eligible as under WAC 388-414-0001, your AU does not have to meet the gross or net income standards in columns ((())B(())) and ((())C(())). ((However,)) We do budget your AU's income to decide the amount of food assistance your AU will receive.

     (2) If your AU includes a member who is sixty years of age or older or has a disability, your income must be at or below the limit in column ((())C(())) only.

     (3) If you are sixty years of age or older and cannot buy and cook your own meals because of a permanent disability, we will use column ((())E(())) to decide if you can be a separate AU.

     (4) If your AU has zero income, your benefits are the maximum allotment in column ((())D(())), based on the number of eligible members in your AU.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510. 01-21-059, § 388-478-0060, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510, 74.08.090. 00-23-013, § 388-478-0060, filed 11/3/00, effective 12/4/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510. 99-24-053, § 388-478-0060, filed 11/29/99, effective 12/30/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510. 99-16-024, § 388-478-0060, filed 7/26/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090. 99-05-074, § 388-478-0060, filed 2/17/99, effective 3/20/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-478-0060, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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