Section 17-680-28 - Eligibility and benefit determination(a) Households shall have their net income compared to the monthly income eligibility standards for the appropriate household size to determine eligibility for the month.(b) In addition to meeting the net income eligibility standards, households which do not contain an elderly or disabled member as defined in section 17-680-21 shall have their gross income compared to the gross monthly income standards for the appropriate household size to determine eligibility for the month.(c) For households considered destitute under chapter 17-663, the branch shall determine the household's eligibility by computing its gross and net income according to chapter 17-663 and comparing, as appropriate, either the gross and net or net income to the corresponding income eligibility standard in accordance with subsections (a) and (b).(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) and section 17-680-27(c) and (d), the household's monthly allotment shall be equal to the thrifty food plan for the household's size reduced by thirty per cent of the household's net monthly income as calculated under chapter 17-676. After multiplying the net income by thirty per cent, the branch shall round the product up if it ends in cents prior to subtracting that amount from the thrifty food plan. This rounding method shall be used in all determinations of allotments.(e) All eligible one and two person households shall receive a minimum benefit as defined in section 17-680-21.(f) With the exception of households whose benefit determination are based on the categorical eligibility requirements under chapter 17-663, a household with three or more members, which is eligible by the gross income test, but which is entitled to no benefits, except because of the proration requirements of section 17-680-27(c) and (d) and the provision precluding issuances of less than $10 in an initial month, the branch shall deny the household's application on the grounds that its net income exceeds the level at which benefits are issued. This refers to situations when after the net monthly income computation is completed, the household's monthly allotment for the month of application is zero.(g) For those eligible households which are entitled to no benefits in their initial month of application, in accordance with section 17-680-27(c) and (d), but are entitled to the benefits in the subsequent month, the department shall certify the households beginning with the month of application.(h) When a household's circumstances change and it becomes entitled to a different income eligibility standard, the branch shall apply the different standard under section 17-680-34.[Eff 3/19/93; am and comp 11/09/06; am 11/22/08] (Auth: HRS § 346-14) (Imp: 7 C. F.R. §§273.10(a), 273.10(e), 273.21)