6210345 Human Services, Department of - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking -Amending Chapters 58 and 72 of Title 29 DCMR to update thepayment levels for TANF, POWER, GAC, and IDA recipients.
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DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
ECONOMIC SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING
The Director of the Department of Human Services (DHS), pursuant to the authority set forth in Section 552 of the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, effective April 6, 1982 (D.C. Law 4-101; D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52 (2012 Repl. & 2016 Supp.)), Mayor’s Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1986, and the authority set forth in Mayor’s Order 2006-50, dated April 13, 2006, hereby gives notice of its intent to amend Chapter 72 (Standards of Assistance and Payment Levels) of Title 29 (Public Welfare) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
The proposed rules will establish new payment levels for recipients of the following benefits: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52); General Assistance for Children (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.05a (2012 Repl.)); Interim Disability Assistance (IDA) (D.C. Official Code § 4-204.07 (2012 Repl. & 2016 Supp.)); and Program on Work, Employment and Responsibility (POWER) (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.78 (2012 Repl.)). The proposed rules will also amend 29 DCMR § 5814.5 to refer to the new payment levels enumerated in Chapter 72.
The purpose of the proposed rule is to modify the District of Columbia’s (District) public assistance payment levels for District of Columbia residents who have been participating in the TANF program for sixty (60) or fewer months, General Assistance for Children, IDA, and POWER public benefit programs. The rules increase payment levels by fifteen point three percent (15.3%) in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52(d-1)(1)(A) (2016 Supp.). In addition, the rules modify specific sections of 29 DCMR § 5814.5 to direct the application of the modified payment levels for public benefits, pursuant to Chapter 72.
The Director gives notice of the intent to take final rulemaking action in not less than thirty (30) days after publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.
Chapter 72, STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE AND PAYMENT LEVELS, of Title 29 DCMR, PUBLIC WELFARE, is amended to read as follows:
7200 STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE AND PAYMENT LEVELS
7200.1 For the purposes of payments under TANF (D.C. Official Code § 205.52), POWER (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.78), General Assistance for Children (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.05a) and Interim Disability Assistance (D.C. Official Code § 4-204.07), effective October 1, 2007, the District of Columbia's payments levels are adjusted as set forth in § 7200.2.
7200.2 Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52(d), the payment levels set forth in this subsection shall apply to public assistance payments made after October 1, 2016.
Family Size
Standards of Assistance
Payment Level
1
$ 450
$320
2
560
$398
3
712
$508
4
870
$621
5
1,002
$716
6
1,178
$842
7
1,352
$965
8
1,494
$1,066
9
1,642
$1,173
10
1,786
$1,274
11
1,884
$1,344
12
2,024
$1,445
13
2,116
$1,511
14
2,232
$1,593
15
2,316
$1,654
16
2,432
$1,737
17
2,668
$1,904
18
2,730
$1,949
19
2,786
$1,988
7200.3 Pursuant to Section 552 of the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, effective April 6, 1982 (D.C. Law 4-101; D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52), a TANF recipient who has received TANF benefits for more than sixty (60) months, whether or not consecutive months, shall be eligible to receive no more than the payment levels set forth in § 7200.4.
7200.4 Effective October 1, 2015, the payment levels set forth in this subsection shall apply to recipients who have received TANF benefits for more than sixty ( 60) months:
Family Size
Standards of Assistance
Payment Level
1
$ 450
$97
2
560
$122
3
712
$154
4
870
$189
5
1,002
$217
6
1,178
$256
7
1,352
$294
8
1,494
$324
9
1,642
$357
10
1,786
$387
11
1,884
$408
12
2,024
$439
13
2,116
$459
14
2,232
$484
15
2,316
$502
16
2,432
$527
17
2,668
$578
18
2,730
$591
19
2,786
$604
Section 5814, INCOME DISREGARDS, of Chapter 58, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, is amended as follows:
Subsection 5814.5 is amended to read as follows:
5814.5 After application of these disregards in § 5814.4, the remaining income shall be compared to the Standard of Assistance for the applicable family unit size as specified in the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, as amended. If the remaining income is less than the Standard of Assistance, the income shall be compared to the payment standard for the applicable family unit size as specified in the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, as amended. The payment levels set forth in Chapter 72 of Title 29 DCMR shall apply to payments made as of October 1, 2016.
All persons who desire to comment on these proposed rules should submit their comments in writing to the Department of Human Services, 64 New York Avenue, N.E., 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20002, Attn: Anthea Seymour, Administrator, Economic Security Administration or by email to Anthea.Seymour@dc.gov. All comments must be received by the Department of Human Services not later than thirty (30) days after publication of this notice in the D.C. Register. Copies of these rules and related information may be obtained by writing to the above address, or by calling the Department of Human Services at (202) 671-4200.
