Section 17-647-35 - Actions on eligible households with unverified deductible expenses(a) If a household claims actual utility expenses in excess of the utility standards and the expense would actually result in a deduction, the expenses shall be verified.(b) If the household's actual utility expenses cannot be verified before the thirty days allowed to process the application expire, the branch shall use the appropriate standard utility allowances, provided the household shall be entitled to the use of these standards.(c) If the household wishes to claim expenses for an unoccupied home, the branch shall verify the household's actual utility expenses for the unoccupied home in every case and shall not use any of the standard utility allowances.(d) If a deductible expense must be verified and obtaining the verification may delay the household's certification, the branch shall advise the household that the household's eligibility and benefit level shall be determined without providing a deduction for the claimed but unverified expense. Medical and shelter costs shall be computed without including the questionable and unverified components. The standard utility allowances shall be used if the household is entitled to claim them and has not verified higher actual costs.(e) If the expense cannot be verified within thirty days of the date of application, the branch shall determine the household's eligibility and benefit level without providing a deduction for the unverified expense.(f) If the household subsequently provides the missing verification, the branch shall determine the household's benefits as follows: (1) For prospectively budgeted households as specified in chapter 17-681, the branch shall redetermine the household's benefits and shall provide increased benefits, if any, in accordance with the timeliness standards on reported changes provided in chapter 17-655.(2) For retrospectively budgeted households as specified in chapter 17-681: (A) If the household is in the first beginning month (as defined in chapter 17-681), the expense shall be allowed for the next prospectively budgeted month. If computer processing does not allow for the change to be effective with the next allotment issued, the branch shall supplement the household for any underpayment;(B) If the household is in the second beginning month, the expense shall be allowed for the second retrospective month and the household supplemented any underpayment which occurs due to computer processing deadline delays; or(C) If the household is already in the retrospective cycle, the household shall be allowed the expense in the corresponding issuance month from the month that the expense is billed or otherwise becomes due in accordance with chapter 17-681.(g) The household shall be entitled to the restoration of any benefits lost as a result of the disallowance of the expense only if the expense could not be verified within the thirty-day standard because the branch failed to allow the household sufficient time, as specified in section 17-647-32 to verify the expense. If the household would be ineligible unless the expense is allowed, the household's application shall be handled as provided in section 17-647-32.[Eff 3/19/93] (Auth: HRS § 346-14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §273.2(f) (1), (2), (3) )