Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1951 NO. 105 >

1. The expense of burial of an indigent person provided by the county commissioners can be made a charge against the two mill General Assistance fund.2. County welfare departments, as agents for the county commissioners, are responsible for authorizing and approving for payment claims for such funerals.3. In the event remains of an indigent person are claimed by relatives or friends, the responsibility for providing a funeral rests upon such relatives or friends, if there is money available to pay for such funeral.

AGO 1950 NO. 239 >

(1) The State Department of Social Security has the legal responsibility to administer general assistance and to provide funds over and above the two mill levy of the counties under the laws of this state.(2) When and if the state funds are depleted the state is in no sense relieved of its responsibility to provide assistance as in the manner prescribed by the state social security laws, but if the general assistance program set up under the Social Security Laws comes to an end, the counties can voluntarily assume the responsibility to care for the poor and needy.

AGO 1951 NO. 477 >

The public assistance laws of this state provide that general assistance is a state program.  The responsibility for the administration and control of all general assistance is in the state Department of Social Security, and the counties' responsibility is limited to providing money from a two mill levy to help defray the costs of such general assistance.