5684023 Human Services, Department of - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Amending Chapters 58 and 72 of Title 29 of the DCMR to update the payment levels for TANF, POWER, GAC, and IDA recipients.

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.)), 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 in Public Assistance Programs) and Chapter 58 (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) 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); Interim Disability Assistance (IDA) (D.C. Official Code § 4-204.07); and Program on Work, Employment and Responsibility (POWER) (D.C. Official Code § 4-205.78). 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, General Assistance for Children, IDA, and POWER public benefit programs.  The rules increase payment levels by one point six percent (1.6%) in accordance with the published increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all items in the preceding calendar year as required by D.C. Official Code § 4-205.52(d-1) and (c-3)(3).  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 IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, of Title 29 DCMR, PUBLIC WELFARE, is amended as follows:

 

Section 7200, STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE AND PAYMENT LEVELS, 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, 2015.

 

Family Size	Standards of Assistance	Payment Level
1	$ 450	$278
2	560	$346
3	712	$441
4	870	$539
5	1,002	$621
6	1,178	$731
7	1,352	$837
8	1,494	$925
9	1,642	$1,018
10	1,786	$1,105
11	1,884	$1,166
12	2,024	$1,254
13	2,116	$1,311
14	2,232	$1,382
15	2,316	$1,435
16	2,432	$1,507
17	2,668	$1,652
18	2,730	$1,691
19	2,786	$1,725

 

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

             

Chapter 58, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, of Title 29 DCMR, PUBLIC WELFARE, is amended as follows:

 

Section 5814, INCOME DISREGARDS, 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, 2015.

 

 

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 [e-mail]. 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 [phone].