(1) Any person who owes a debt to the state for an overpayment of public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically shall be notified of that debt by either personal service or certified mail, return receipt requested. Personal service, return of the requested receipt, or refusal by the debtor of such notice is proof of notice to the debtor of the debt owed. Service of the notice shall be in the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action. The notice shall include a statement of the debt owed; a statement that the property of the debtor will be subject to collection action after the debtor terminates from public assistance and/or food stamps or benefits; a statement that the property will be subject to lien and foreclosure, distraint, seizure and sale, or order to withhold and deliver; and a statement that the net proceeds will be applied to the satisfaction of the overpayment debt. Action to collect the debt by lien and foreclosure, distraint, seizure and sale, or order to withhold and deliver, is lawful after ninety days from the debtor's termination from public assistance and/or food stamps or benefits or the receipt of the notice of debt, whichever is later. This does not preclude the department from recovering overpayments by deduction from subsequent assistance payments, not exceeding deductions as authorized under federal law with regard to financial assistance programs: PROVIDED, That subject to federal legal requirement, deductions shall not exceed five percent of the grant payment standard if the overpayment resulted from error on the part of the department or error on the part of the recipient without willful or knowing intent of the recipient in obtaining or retaining the overpayment.

(2) A current or former recipient who is aggrieved by a claim that he or she owes a debt for an overpayment of public assistance or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically has the right to an adjudicative proceeding pursuant to RCW 74.08.080. If no application is filed, the debt will be subject to collection action as authorized under this chapter. If a timely application is filed, the execution of collection action on the debt shall be stayed pending the final adjudicative order or termination of the debtor from public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically, whichever occurs later.

Effective date—1989 c 175: See note following RCW 34.05.010.

Overpayments and debts due the state: RCW 74.04.300.