WSR 26-12-007
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
[Filed May 21, 2026, 12:38 p.m., effective June 21, 2026]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The department of social and health services is adopting amendments to WAC 388-412-0005 General information about your cash benefits. These amendments better align cash benefit rules with RCW
74.04.760.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-412-0005.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW
74.04.005,
74.04.050,
74.04.0052,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.04.510,
74.04.655,
74.04.770,
74.08.043,
74.08.090,
74.08.335, and
74.08A.100.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 26-07-038 on March 12, 2026.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 21, 2026.
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator
SHS-5127.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 12-06-070, filed 3/6/12, effective 4/6/12)
WAC 388-412-0005General information about your cash benefits.
(1) Each separate cash assistance unit (AU) gets a separate benefit amount. If several AUs live in the same house, each AU gets a separate benefit amount.
(2) You cannot receive the same type of benefits in:
(a) Two states in the same month; or
(b) Two AUs in the same month; unless
(c) You left the AU to live in a shelter for battered women and children. See WAC 388-408-0045.
(3) If you are married and both you and your spouse get aged, blind, or disabled (ABD) assistance, you and your spouse are one AU.
(4) Your grant is rounded down to the next whole dollar amount unless:
(a) You get a clothing and personal incidental (CPI) allowance; or
(b) Your benefits are reduced to pay an overpayment.
(5) We do not issue any cash benefits if you are eligible for less than ((ten dollars))$10.00 unless((:
(a) You get a CPI allowance;
(b) Your))your benefits are reduced to pay an overpayment((; or
(c) You get supplemental social security (SSI)))((interim assistance payments)).
(6) You may use your cash benefits to pay for basic living expenses as detailed under WAC 388-412-0046 (1)(c).
(7) You may not use your electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards or cash obtained with EBT cards for any of the activities specified under WAC 388-412-0046 (1)(d).
(8) If you choose to withdraw your cash benefits using an automated teller machine (ATM), our EBT vendor may charge a fee for the transaction in addition to any charges by the bank or ATM owner.