16-01-093

WSR 16-01-093

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

[Filed December 15, 2015, 2:50 p.m., effective January 15, 2016]

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

Purpose: The community services division, economic services administration is amending WAC 388-478-0020 Payment standards for TANF, SFA, and RCA, 388-478-0035 What are the maximum earned income limits for TANF, SFA, PWA and RCA?, and 388-436-0050 Determining financial need and benefit amount for CEAP.

The department is amending the above WAC to implement a nine percent increase in the payment standards for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), and refugee cash assistance (RCA), the financial need and benefit amount limits for the consolidated emergency assistance program (CEAP), and the maximum earned income limits for the TANF, SFA, RCA, and the pregnant women assistance (PWA) programs.

These rules were amended via emergency adoption on October 28, 2015, as WSR 15-22-037.

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

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.08.090, and 74.08A.230.

Other Authority: ESSB 6052 207, Washington state 2015-17 biennial operating budget.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 15-19-030 on September 9, 2015.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: December 14, 2015.

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 11-16-029, filed 7/27/11, effective 8/27/11)

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	$((305)) 332		6	$((736)) 802
2	((385)) 420		7	((850)) 927
3	((478)) 521		8	((941)) 1,026
4	((562)) 613		9	((1,033)) 1,126
5	((648)) 706		10 or more	((1,123)) 1,224

(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	$((185)) 202		6	$((447)) 487
2	((235)) 256		7	((517)) 564
3	((290)) 316		8	((572)) 623
4	((342)) 373		9	((628)) 685
5	((394)) 429		10 or more	((683)) 744

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 12-10-042, filed 4/27/12, effective 6/1/12)

WAC 388-478-0035 What are the maximum earned income limits for TANF, SFA, PWA and RCA?

To be eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), state family assistance (SFA), refugee cash assistance (RCA), or a pregnant women assistance (PWA), 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	$((610)) 665		6	$((1,472)) 1,604
2	((770)) 839		7	((1,700)) 1,853
3	((955)) 1,042		8	((1,882)) 2,051
4	((1,124)) 1,225		9	((2,066)) 2,252
5	((1,295)) 1,413		10 or more	((2,246)) 2,448

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 11-16-029, filed 7/27/11, effective 8/27/11)

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	$((275)) 300
2	((346)) 377
3	((429)) 468
4	((505)) 550
5	((582)) 634
6	((662)) 722
7	((762)) 834
8 or more	((847)) 923

(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	$((184)) 201		$((235)) 256		$((290)) 316		$((342)) 373		$((394)) 429		$((447)) 487		$((510)) 556		$((564)) 615
Shelter	((225)) 245		((284)) 310		((354)) 386		((417)) 455		((479)) 522		((543)) 592		((629)) 686		((695)) 758
Clothing	((26)) 28		((33)) 36		((41)) 45		((48)) 52		((55)) 60		((64)) 70		((72)) 78		((82)) 89
Minor Medical Care	((156)) 170		((199)) 217		((247)) 269		((290)) 316		((334)) 364		((377)) 411		((439)) 479		((485)) 529
Utilities	((76)) 83		((96)) 105		((119)) 130		((139)) 152		((161)) 175		((184)) 201		((213)) 232		((235)) 256
Household maintenance	((55)) 60		((71)) 77		((88)) 96		((103)) 112		((119)) 130		((135)) 147		((156)) 170		((172)) 187
Job related transportation	((305)) 332		((385)) 420		((478)) 521		((562)) 613		((648)) 706		((736)) 802		((850)) 927		((941)) 1,026
Child related transportation	((305)) 332		((385)) 420		((478)) 521		((562)) 613		((648)) 706		((736)) 802		((850)) 927		((941)) 1,026

(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.