WSR 11-16-029

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)

[ Filed July 27, 2011, 8:04 a.m. , effective August 27, 2011 ]


     Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: The department is reducing payment standards and maximum earned income limits by fifteen percent. This reduction is necessary to address a growing WorkFirst budget shortfall, driven by increased demand for services by families affected by the economic recession as described [in] "WorkFirst Reductions" announcement dated December 17, 2010.

     These changes are currently in effect via emergency adoption as WSR 11-11-009 dated May 6, 2011.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-436-0050, 388-478-0020, and 388-478-0035.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.770, 74.08.090, and chapters 74.08A and 74.12 RCW.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 11-11-094 on May 18, 2011.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 3, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 3, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: July 25, 2011.

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator

4266.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 09-14-040, filed 6/24/09, effective 7/25/09)

WAC 388-436-0050   Determining financial need and benefit amount for CEAP.   (1) To be eligible for CEAP assistance, the assistance unit's nonexcluded income, minus allowable deductions, must be less than ninety percent of the TANF payment standard for households with shelter costs. The net income limit for CEAP assistance units is:


Assistance

Unit Members

 Net Income Limit
1 $ ((323)) 275
2 ((407)) 346
3 ((505)) 429
4 ((594)) 505
5 ((685)) 582
6 ((779)) 662
7 ((900)) 762
8 or more ((996)) 847

     (2) The assistance unit's allowable amount of need is the lesser of:

     (a) The TANF payment standard, based on assistance unit size, for households with shelter costs as specified under WAC 388-478-0020; or

     (b) The assistance unit's actual emergent need, not to exceed maximum allowable amounts, for the following items:

Need Item: Maximum allowable amount by assistance unit size:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 or more
Food $((217)) 184 $((276)) 235 $((341)) 290 $((402)) 342 $((463)) 394 $((526)) 447 $((600)) 510 $((664)) 564
Shelter ((265)) 225 ((334)) 284 ((416)) 354 ((490)) 417 ((564)) 479 ((639)) 543 ((740)) 629 ((818)) 695
Clothing ((31))

26

 ((39))

33

 ((48))

41

 ((57))

48

 ((65))

55

 ((75))

64

 ((85))

72

 ((96))

82
Minor Medical Care ((184)) 156 ((234)) 199 ((290)) 247 ((341)) 290 ((393)) 334 ((444)) 377 ((516)) 439 ((570)) 485
Utilities ((89))

76

 ((113))

96

 ((140)) 119 ((164)) 139 ((189)) 161 ((216)) 184 ((250)) 213 ((276)) 235
Household maintenance ((65))

55

 ((83))

71

 ((103))

88

 ((121)) 103 ((140)) 119 ((159)) 135 ((183)) 156 ((202)) 172
Job related transportation ((359)) 305 ((453)) 385 ((562)) 478 ((661)) 562 ((762)) 648 ((866)) 736 ((1000)) 850 ((1107)) 941
Child related transportation ((359)) 305 ((453)) 385 ((562)) 478 ((661)) 562 ((762)) 648 ((866)) 736 ((1000)) 850 ((1107)) 941

     (3) The assistance unit's CEAP payment is determined by computing the difference between the allowable amount of need, as determined under subsection (2) of this section, and the total of:

     (a) The assistance unit's net income, as determined under subsection (1) of this section;

     (b) Cash on hand, if not already counted as income; and

     (c) The value of other nonexcluded resources available to the assistance unit.

     (4) The assistance unit is not eligible for CEAP if the amount of income and resources, as determined in subsection (3) of this section, is equal to or exceeds its allowable amount of need.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.660. 09-14-040, § 388-436-0050, filed 6/24/09, effective 7/25/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, and 74.08.090. 08-18-009, § 388-436-0050, filed 8/22/08, effective 9/22/08; 98-16-044, § 388-436-0050, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 08-16-105, filed 8/5/08, effective 9/5/08)

WAC 388-478-0020   Payment standards for TANF, SFA, and RCA.   (1) The maximum monthly payment standards for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), and refugee cash assistance (RCA) assistance units with obligations to pay shelter costs are:


Assistance Unit Size Payment Standard Assistance Unit Size Payment Standard
1 $((359)) 305 6 $((866)) 736
2 ((453))

385

 7 ((1,000)) 850
3 ((562))

478

 8 ((1,107)) 941
4 ((661))

562

 9 ((1,215)) 1,033
5 ((762))

648

 10 or more ((1,321)) 1,123

     (2) The maximum monthly payment standards for TANF, SFA, and RCA assistance units with shelter provided at no cost are:


Assistance Unit Size Payment Standard Assistance Unit Size Payment Standard
1 $((218)) 185 6 $((526)) 447
2 ((276))

235

 7 ((608))

517
3 ((341))

290

 8 ((673))

572
4 ((402))

342

 9 ((739))

628
5 ((464))

394

 10 or more ((803))

683

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, and 2008 c 329 § 207 (1)(e). 08-16-105, § 388-478-0020, filed 8/5/08, effective 9/5/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-478-0020, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98. Formerly WAC 388-507-0710.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 08-16-105, filed 8/5/08, effective 9/5/08)

WAC 388-478-0035   Maximum earned income limits for TANF, SFA and RCA.   To be eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), or refugee cash assistance (RCA), a family's gross earned income must be below the following levels:


Number of Family Members Maximum Earned Income Level Number of Family Members Maximum Monthly Earned Income Level
1 $((718))

610

 6 $((1,732))

1,472
2 ((906))

770

 7 ((2,000))

1,700
3 ((1,124))

955

 8 ((2,214))

1,882
4 ((1,322))

1,124

 9 ((2,430))

2,066
5 ((1,524))

1,295

 10 or more ((2,642))

2,246

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, and 2008 c 329 § 207 (1)(e). 08-16-105, § 388-478-0035, filed 8/5/08, effective 9/5/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-478-0035, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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