This letter transmits changes with the proposed effective date of October 1, 2004. If there are any changes made to any of the rules contained in this CAMTL during the JCARR review period, corrected rules will be sent out in the next CAMTL. This cover letter includes a summary statement of policy changes. Each statement references the clearance control number (CCN) assigned when the policy change was placed in the clearance process.

Section 119.032 of the Revised Code requires a review of all state agency rules within a five-year period. The purpose of this review is to determine whether a rule should be continued without amendment, be amended, or be rescinded, taking into consideration the rule's purpose and scope. In addition, the intent of the review is to ensure that rules are clear and concise as written, program requirements are accurate and up-to-date, unnecessary paperwork is eliminated, and when possible, local agencies are given more flexibility.

CHAPTER 2000

Rule 5101:1-3-10 Ohio Works First (OWF): Child Support Requirement (CCN 5254)

Based upon our review of this rule pursuant to the five year rule review requirement, we determined that the existing rule should be rescinded and replaced with new rule 5101:1-3-10.

Following are summaries of the proposed changes to this rule.

(1)The policy describing assignment of support has been expanded to address several situations in which the assignment of support is interrupted for a specific month, requiring the treatment of support for that month to be in accordance with the provisions set forth in rule 5101:1-29-31 of the Administrative Code. In these situations, the interruption in the assignment ends beginning with the first day of the month that cash assistance resumes.

(2)Generally, the assignment is interrupted for one month in these situations, and the resumption of the assignment begins with the first day of the month that cash assistance resumes. This differs from the beginning date of the assignment at application, which is the first day of the month following the month of approval for OWF. This policy change results in the avoidance of a two-month delay in the resumption of the support assignment, because the assignment resumes immediately after the one-month interruption, instead of starting over with the month following the month that cash resumes. This is a significant change that reduces the possibility for error and potential overpayments.

(3)The rule has been reorganized to facilitate easier reference. This modification does not substantively change any policy.

(4)References to counties where the support enforcement tracking system (SETS) does not support IV-D activity have been removed as SETS is the statewide tracking system and all counties are supported by SETS. This modification does not substantively change any policy.

(5)Acronyms have been updated where appropriate, resulting in no significant change to policy.

Rule 5101:1-3-12 OWF: Work Activity Participation and Child Care (CCN 5255)

Paragraph (C)(4) defining "affordable child care arrangements" has been revised to align with OAC Rule 5101:2-16-39(A) (Child Care Manual). Family co-payments are no longer based, in part, on the number of children receiving subsidized child care and that language has been removed from this rule.

INSTRUCTIONS: