Original Notice.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 02-20-057 on September 27, 2002.

     Title of Rule: WAC 388-450-0156 When am I exempt from the deeming process?

     Purpose: The Division of Employment and Assistance Programs is amending the rule to implement a change in basic food program deeming requirements for sponsored immigrants as mandated by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510.

     Statute Being Implemented: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510.

     Summary: This rule explains which sponsored immigrants are exempt from the requirements to count a portion of their sponsor's income and resources when determining their eligibility and benefits.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: With passage of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, immigrants who are considered qualified aliens and are under age eighteen are eligible for federal food stamp benefits. This law also exempted these children from the deeming requirements for sponsored immigrants.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: John Camp, 1009 College S.E., Lacey, WA 98504, (360) 413-3232.

     Name of Proponent: Department of Social and Health Services, governmental.

     Rule is necessary because of federal law, Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, Public Law 107-171, Section 4401.

     Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: WAC 388-450-0156 When am I exempt from the deeming process?, see Purpose, Summary, and Reasons Supporting Proposal above.

     Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: See Purpose, Summary, and Reasons Supporting Proposal above.

     No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. This proposed rule does not have an economic impact on small businesses. It only affects DSHS clients by modifying immigrant eligibility provisions to the sponsor deeming requirements for food assistance benefits.

     RCW 34.05.328 does not apply to this rule adoption. These amendments are exempt as allowed under RCW 34.05.328 (5)(b)(vii) which states in-part, "[t]his section does not apply to....rules of the department of social and health services relating only to client medical or financial eligibility and rules concerning liability for care of dependents." This rule adopts federal requirements mandated by Public Law 107-171, Section 4401, and United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service Administrative Notice 03-04 regarding immigrant sponsor deeming rules for food assistance benefits.

     Hearing Location: Blake Office Park (behind Goodyear Courtesy Tire), 4500 10th Avenue S.E., Rose Room, Lacey, WA 98503, on February 4, 2003, at 10:00 a.m.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Andy Fernando, DSHS Rules Coordinator, by January 31, 2003, phone (360) 664-6094, TTY (360) 664-6178, e-mail FernAX@dshs.wa.gov.

     Submit Written Comments to: Identify WAC Numbers, DSHS Rules Coordinator, Rules and Policies Assistance Unit, P.O. Box 45850, Olympia, WA 98504-5850, fax (360) 664-6185, e-mail fernaax@dshs.wa.gov, by 5:00 p.m., February 4, 2003.

     Date of Intended Adoption: Not earlier than February 5, 2003.

December 23, 2002

Bonita H. Jacques

for Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     (a) The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) does not require you to have a sponsor. Immigrants who are not required to have a sponsor include those with the following status with Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS):

     (i) Refugee;

     (ii) Parolee;

     (iii) Asylee;

     (iv) Cuban entrant; or

     (v) Haitian entrant.

     (b) You were sponsored by an organization or group as opposed to an individual;

     (c) You do not meet the alien status requirements to be eligible for benefits under chapter 388-424 WAC;

     (d) You have worked or can get credit for forty qualifying quarters of work under Title II of the Social Security Act. We do not count a quarter of work toward this requirement if the person working received TANF, food stamps, Basic Food, SSI, CHIP, or nonemergency Medicaid benefits. We count a quarter of work by the following people toward your forty qualifying quarters:

     (i) Yourself;

     (ii) Each of your parents for the time they worked before you turned eighteen years old (including the time they worked before you were born); and

     (iii) Your spouse if you are still married or your spouse is deceased.

     (e) You become a United States (U.S.) Citizen;

     (f) Your sponsor is dead; or

     (g) If INS or a court decides that you, your child, or your parent was a victim of domestic violence from your sponsor and:

     (i) You no longer live with your sponsor; and

     (ii) Leaving your sponsor caused your need for benefits.

     (2) You are exempt from the deeming process while you are in the same AU as your sponsor;

     (3) For Basic Food, you are exempt from deeming while you are under age eighteen.

     (4) For state family assistance, general assistance, ((the food assistance program for legal immigrants)) state-funded Basic Food benefits, and state-funded medical assistance for legal immigrants you are exempt from the deeming process if:

     (a) Your sponsor signed the affidavit of support more than five years ago;

     (b) Your sponsor becomes permanently incapacitated; or

     (c) You are a qualified alien according to WAC 388-424-0005 and you:

     (i) Are on active duty with the U.S. armed forces or you are the spouse or unmarried dependent child of someone on active duty;

     (ii) Are an honorably-discharged veteran of the U.S. armed forces or you are the spouse or unmarried dependent child of a honorably-discharged veteran;

     (iii) Were employed by an agency of the U.S. government or served in the armed forces of an allied country during a military conflict between the U.S. and a military opponent; or

     (iv) Are a victim of domestic violence and you have petitioned for legal status under the Violence Against Women Act.

     (((4))) (5) If you, your child, or your parent was a victim of domestic violence, you are exempt from the deeming process for twelve months if:

     (a) You no longer live with the person who committed the violence; and

     (b) Leaving this person caused your need for benefits.

     (((5))) (6) If your AU has income at or below one hundred thirty percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), you are exempt from the deeming process for twelve months. For this rule, we count the following as income to your AU:

     (a) Earned and unearned income your AU receives from any source; and

     (b) Any noncash items of value such as free rent, commodities, goods, or services you receive from an individual or organization.

     (((6))) (7) If you are exempt from deeming because your AU does not have income over one hundred thirty percent of the FPL, we give the United States Attorney General the following information:

     (a) The names of the sponsored people in your AU;

     (b) That you are exempt from deeming due to your income; and

     (c) Your sponsor's name.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, 74.04.510 and Title 7, Chapter II, Part 273 of the Code of Federal Regulations. 01-21-026, § 388-450-0156, filed 10/9/01, effective 11/1/01.]

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