The bill amends RCW 74.08A.010 to expand the criteria for time limit exemptions applicable to cash assistance programs, specifically the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). It maintains the existing rule that families with an adult who has received TANF for 60 months are ineligible for further assistance but introduces new criteria for exemptions. These include situations where the recipient's family faces financial distress due to termination or denial of cash assistance, alongside existing criteria related to homelessness, unemployment rates, and family violence.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the department must not exempt a recipient and their family from the 60-month limit until they have received 52 months of assistance. It also mandates the provision of transitional food assistance for five months to households that stop receiving TANF, ensuring that eligible members can still access benefits even if some have been sanctioned. The department is given the authority to adopt rules regarding the unemployment rates used for determining eligibility for extensions.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 74.08A.010