WSR 19-06-015
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
[Filed February 26, 2019, 9:31 a.m., effective February 26, 2019, 9:31 a.m.]
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: The department is amending WAC 388-412-0020 When do I get my benefits? The amended language will allow the department to issue March 2019 basic food benefits early to some of the households that received February 2019 benefits in January 2019. The March early issuance will reduce the number of days between issuance cycles for the affected households.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-412-0020.
Other Authority: 7 U.S.C. § 2016 (g)(1), 7 C.F.R. § 274.2 (d)(1).
Under RCW
34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest; and 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: Implementation of the above-referenced rule is necessary to reduce the days between benefit issuances for a large population of public food assistance recipients. Reducing the number of days between issuances is necessary to reduce food insecurity for the affected households. These households would otherwise have up to fifty-eight days between issuance dates, when they would normally have thirty days between issuance dates. Implementing this rule also allows the department to remain within federal regulations of no more than forty days between benefit issuances. February 2019 public food assistance benefits were issued early due to impacts of the partial federal government shutdown that began in late 2018.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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.
Date Adopted: February 20, 2019.
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-20-087, filed 10/4/16, effective 2/1/17)
WAC 388-412-0020When do I get my benefits?
(1) If you get your cash benefits on an electronic benefits card (EBT), you get your cash benefits deposited on the first of each month.
(2) If you get your cash benefits deposited directly to your bank account by electronic funds transfer (EFT), your money is deposited on the first working day of the month. When the first of the month is a federal holiday or a Sunday, the benefits are deposited the following day.
(3) If you get basic food, your benefits are issued by the twentieth day of each month. Our eligibility system automatically assigns the day you get your benefits when we approve your basic food. We tell you the date you will get your monthly benefits on your approval letter.
(4) We will issue basic food benefits early for some households in March 2019.