Connecticut 2022 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB05431 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5431
	4	+	LCO No. 2948 1 of 12
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	6	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5431
8	7		February Session, 2022
	8	+	LCO No. 2948
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	11	+	Referred to Committee on APPROPRIATIONS
	12	+
	13	+
	14	+	Introduced by:
	15	+	(APP)
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14	20		AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING RECEIVED BY THE STATE UNDER
15	21		THE FEDERAL AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
16	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	23		Assembly convened:
18	24
19		-	Section 1. Section 36 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 1
20		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
21		-	passage): 3
22		-	(a) As used in this section: 4
23		-	(1) "Community action agency" means a public or private nonprofit 5
24		-	agency which has previously been designated by and authorized to 6
25		-	accept funds from the federal Community Services Administration for 7
26		-	community action agencies under the Economic Opportunity Act of 8
27		-	1964, or a successor agency established pursuant to section 17b-892 of 9
28		-	the general statutes; 10
29		-	(2) "Community health worker" means a public health outreach 11
30		-	professional with an in-depth understanding of the experience, 12
31		-	language, culture and socioeconomic needs of the community and who 13
32		-	provides a range of services, including, but not limited to, outreach, 14
33		-	engagement, education, coaching, informal counseling, social support, 15
34		-	advocacy, care coordination, research related to social determinants of 16
35		-	health and basic screenings and assessments of any risks associated with 17 Substitute Bill No. 5431
	25	+	Section 1. Section 19a-7d of the 2022 supplement to the general 1
	26	+	statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
	27	+	(Effective from passage): 3
	28	+	(a) [Not later than January 1, 2022, the] The Commissioner of Public 4
	29	+	Health shall establish, within available resources, a program to provide 5
	30	+	three-year grants to community-based providers of primary care 6
	31	+	services in order to expand access to health care for the uninsured. The 7
	32	+	grants may be awarded to community-based providers of primary care 8
	33	+	for (1) funding for direct services, (2) recruitment and retention of 9
	34	+	primary care clinicians and registered nurses through subsidizing of 10
	35	+	salaries or through a loan repayment program, and (3) capital 11
	36	+	expenditures. The community-based providers of primary care under 12
	37	+	the direct service program shall provide, or arrange access to, primary 13
	38	+	and preventive services, behavioral health services, referrals to specialty 14
	39	+	services, including rehabilitative and mental health services, inpatient 15 Raised Bill No. 5431
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42		-	social determinants of health; and 18
43		-	(3) "COVID-19" means the respiratory disease designated by the 19
44		-	World Health Organization on February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, 20
45		-	and any related mutation thereof recognized by said organization as a 21
46		-	communicable respiratory disease. 22
47		-	(b) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall establish 23
48		-	a community health worker grant program. The purpose of such 24
49		-	program shall be to provide grants to community action agencies that 25
50		-	employ community health workers who provide a range of services to 26
51		-	persons adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department 27
52		-	may enter into an agreement, pursuant to chapter 55a of the general 28
53		-	statutes, with a person, firm, corporation or other entity to operate such 29
54		-	program. 30
55		-	(c) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall publish on 31
56		-	its Internet web site a notice of grant availability for the period 32
57		-	beginning on [the effective date of this section] June 23, 2021, and ending 33
58		-	on June 30, [2023] 2024. 34
59		-	(d) Each community action agency applying for a grant under this 35
60		-	section shall submit an application in such form and manner as 36
61		-	prescribed by the Commissioner of [Public Health] Social Services. Each 37
62		-	application shall include the following information: (1) The location of 38
63		-	the principal place of business of the applicant; (2) the number of 39
64		-	community health workers employed by the applicant [or that] and the 40
65		-	number of community health workers the applicant seeks to employ 41
66		-	under the grant and the range of services provided or to be provided by 42
67		-	such community health workers; (3) an explanation of the intended use 43
68		-	of the grant being applied for; (4) strategies for integrating community 44
69		-	health workers into an individual's care delivery team, including, but 45
70		-	not limited to, the capacity to address health care and social services 46
71		-	needs; and [(4)] (5) such other information that the commissioner deems 47
72		-	necessary. 48 Substitute Bill No. 5431
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	44	+
	45	+	care, prescription drugs, basic diagnostic laboratory services, health 16
	46	+	education and outreach to alert people to the availability of services. 17
	47	+	Primary care clinicians and registered nurses participating in the state 18
	48	+	loan repayment program or receiving subsidies shall provide services 19
	49	+	to the uninsured based on a sliding fee schedule, provide free care if 20
	50	+	necessary, accept Medicare assignment and participate as Medicaid 21
	51	+	providers, or provide nursing services in school-based health centers 22
	52	+	and expanded school health sites, as such terms are defined in section 23
	53	+	19a-6r. The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with 24
	54	+	the provisions of chapter 54, to establish eligibility criteria, services to 25
	55	+	be provided by participants, the sliding fee schedule, reporting 26
	56	+	requirements and the loan repayment program. For the purposes of this 27
	57	+	section, "primary care clinicians" includes family practice physicians, 28
	58	+	general practice osteopaths, obstetricians and gynecologists, internal 29
	59	+	medicine physicians, pediatricians, dentists, certified nurse midwives, 30
	60	+	advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, [and] dental 31
	61	+	hygienists, psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, 32
	62	+	licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed professional 33
	63	+	counselors. 34
	64	+	(b) Funds appropriated for the state loan repayment program shall 35
	65	+	not lapse until fifteen months following the end of the fiscal year for 36
	66	+	which such funds were appropriated. 37
	67	+	Sec. 2. Section 36 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 38
	68	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 39
	69	+	passage): 40
	70	+	(a) As used in this section: 41
	71	+	(1) "Community action agency" means a public or private nonprofit 42
	72	+	agency which has previously been designated by and authorized to 43
	73	+	accept funds from the federal Community Services Administration for 44
	74	+	community action agencies under the Economic Opportunity Act of 45
	75	+	1964, or a successor agency established pursuant to section 17b-892 of 46
	76	+	the general statutes; 47 Raised Bill No. 5431
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79		-	(e) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall review all 49
80		-	grant applications received under the program and determine which 50
81		-	applications are eligible for funding. Criteria for such determinations 51
82		-	shall be established by the department and included in the notice of 52
83		-	grant availability described in subsection (c) of this section. 53
84		-	(f) The amount of any grant issued to a community action agency 54
85		-	pursuant to this section shall not exceed [thirty] forty thousand dollars 55
86		-	annually per community health worker employed by, or planned to be 56
87		-	employed by, such agency and the total amount of grants issued to 57
88		-	community action agencies in the aggregate shall not exceed [six] eight 58
89		-	million dollars. No grant shall be issued pursuant to this section after 59
90		-	June 30, [2023] 2024. 60
91		-	[(g) (1) Not later than January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Public 61
92		-	Health shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 62
93		-	of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General 63
94		-	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and 64
95		-	human services regarding the progress of the program and including 65
96		-	any requisite legislative proposals to accomplish the goals of the 66
97		-	program.] 67
98		-	[(2)] (g) Not later than January 1, 2024, the Commissioner of [Public 68
99		-	Health] Social Services shall report, in accordance with the provisions of 69
100		-	section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the community health worker 70
101		-	grant program to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 71
102		-	having cognizance of matters relating to public health and human 72
103		-	services. Such report shall include the following data regarding the 73
104		-	program: [(A)] (1) The number of grants provided and the amount of 74
105		-	such grants; [(B)] (2) the identities of the community action agencies that 75
106		-	received such grants; [(C)] (3) the intended use of each grant provided, 76
107		-	as described by the community action agency pursuant to subdivision 77
108		-	(3) of subsection (d) of this section; [(D)] (4) the number of community 78
109		-	health workers employed by each community action agency that 79
110		-	received a grant at the time such agency received such grant and 80
111		-	information regarding the services provided by such community health 81 Substitute Bill No. 5431
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	81	+
	82	+	(2) "Community health worker" means a public health outreach 48
	83	+	professional with an in-depth understanding of the experience, 49
	84	+	language, culture and socioeconomic needs of the community and who 50
	85	+	provides a range of services, including, but not limited to, outreach, 51
	86	+	engagement, education, coaching, informal counseling, social support, 52
	87	+	advocacy, care coordination, research related to social determinants of 53
	88	+	health and basic screenings and assessments of any risks associated with 54
	89	+	social determinants of health; and 55
	90	+	(3) "COVID-19" means the respiratory disease designated by the 56
	91	+	World Health Organization on February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, 57
	92	+	and any related mutation thereof recognized by said organization as a 58
	93	+	communicable respiratory disease. 59
	94	+	(b) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall establish 60
	95	+	a community health worker grant program. The purpose of such 61
	96	+	program shall be to provide grants to community action agencies that 62
	97	+	employ community health workers who provide a range of services to 63
	98	+	persons adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department 64
	99	+	may enter into an agreement, pursuant to chapter 55a of the general 65
	100	+	statutes, with a person, firm, corporation or other entity to operate such 66
	101	+	program. 67
	102	+	(c) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall publish on 68
	103	+	its Internet web site a notice of grant availability for the period 69
	104	+	beginning on [the effective date of this section] June 23, 2021, and ending 70
	105	+	on June 30, [2023] 2024. 71
	106	+	(d) Each community action agency applying for a grant under this 72
	107	+	section shall submit an application in such form and manner as 73
	108	+	prescribed by the Commissioner of [Public Health] Social Services. Each 74
	109	+	application shall include the following information: (1) The location of 75
	110	+	the principal place of business of the applicant; (2) the number of 76
	111	+	community health workers employed by the applicant [or that] and the 77
	112	+	number of community health workers the applicant seeks to employ 78
	113	+	under the grant and the range of services provided or to be provided by 79 Raised Bill No. 5431
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118		-	workers; and [(E)] (5) the number of community health workers 82
119		-	employed by each community action agency that received a grant at the 83
120		-	conclusion of the program and information regarding the services 84
121		-	provided by such community health workers. 85
122		-	Sec. 2. Section 37 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 86
123		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 87
124		-	passage): 88
125		-	The sum of $3,000,000 allocated in section 41 of special act 21-15, [and] 89
126		-	as amended by section 306 of [this act] public act 21-2 of the June special 90
127		-	session, to the Department of Public Health, for Community Health 91
128		-	Workers, for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, and June 30, 92
129		-	2023, shall be for the purposes of the program established pursuant to 93
130		-	section 36 of [this act] public act 21-2 of the June special session, as 94
131		-	amended by this act. The Department of Public Health shall transfer 95
132		-	such funds to the Department of Social Services. 96
133		-	Sec. 3. Section 1 of special act 21-1, as amended by section 86 of public 97
134		-	act 21-2 of the June special session, is amended to read as follows 98
135		-	(Effective from passage): 99
136		-	(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, not later 100
137		-	than [April 26, 2021] June 1, 2022, the Governor shall submit to the 101
138		-	speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore 102
139		-	of the Senate recommended allocations of federal funds designated for 103
140		-	the state pursuant to the provisions of Subtitle M of Title IX of the 104
141		-	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, as amended from time to 105
142		-	time, except for any funds designated under the Coronavirus Local 106
143		-	Fiscal Recovery Fund. Not later than five days after receipt of the 107
144		-	recommended allocations, the speaker and the president pro tempore 108
145		-	shall submit the recommended allocations to the joint standing 109
146		-	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 110
147		-	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. Said 111
148		-	committee shall report their approval or modifications, if any, of such 112
149		-	recommended allocations to the speaker and the president pro tempore 113 Substitute Bill No. 5431
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	118	+
	119	+	such community health workers; (3) an explanation of the intended use 80
	120	+	of the grant being applied for; (4) strategies for integrating community 81
	121	+	health workers into an individual's care delivery team, including, but 82
	122	+	not limited to, the capacity to address health care and social services 83
	123	+	needs; and [(4)] (5) such other information that the commissioner deems 84
	124	+	necessary. 85
	125	+	(e) The Department of [Public Health] Social Services shall review all 86
	126	+	grant applications received under the program and determine which 87
	127	+	applications are eligible for funding. Criteria for such determinations 88
	128	+	shall be established by the department and included in the notice of 89
	129	+	grant availability described in subsection (c) of this section. 90
	130	+	(f) The amount of any grant issued to a community action agency 91
	131	+	pursuant to this section shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars 92
	132	+	annually per community health worker employed by, or planned to be 93
	133	+	employed by, such agency and the total amount of grants issued to 94
	134	+	community action agencies in the aggregate shall not exceed six million 95
	135	+	dollars. No grant shall be issued pursuant to this section after June 30, 96
	136	+	[2023] 2024. 97
	137	+	[(g) (1) Not later than January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Public 98
	138	+	Health shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 99
	139	+	of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General 100
	140	+	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and 101
	141	+	human services regarding the progress of the program and including 102
	142	+	any requisite legislative proposals to accomplish the goals of the 103
	143	+	program.] 104
	144	+	[(2)] (g) Not later than January 1, 2024, the Commissioner of [Public 105
	145	+	Health] Social Services shall report, in accordance with the provisions of 106
	146	+	section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the community health worker 107
	147	+	grant program to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 108
	148	+	having cognizance of matters relating to public health and human 109
	149	+	services. Such report shall include the following data regarding the 110
	150	+	program: [(A)] (1) The number of grants provided and the amount of 111 Raised Bill No. 5431
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156		-	not later than [May 16, 2021] July 1, 2022. Any partial or final allocations 114
157		-	of such funds shall be authorized by public or special act of the General 115
158		-	Assembly. Disbursement of such funds shall be in accordance with such 116
159		-	partial or final allocations and no disbursement of such funds shall 117
160		-	occur prior to such authorization. 118
161		-	(b) If it is determined that any amount allocated by the General 119
162		-	Assembly pursuant to subsection (a) of this section is not allowable 120
163		-	under guidance provided by the federal government, including, but not 121
164		-	limited to, the United States Treasury, the Secretary of the Office of 122
165		-	Policy and Management shall immediately notify the joint standing 123
166		-	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 124
167		-	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies of the 125
168		-	specific amount and recipient of such allocation and the reason for such 126
169		-	determination. 127
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	155	+
	156	+	such grants; [(B)] (2) the identities of the community action agencies that 112
	157	+	received such grants; [(C)] (3) the intended use of each grant provided, 113
	158	+	as described by the community action agency pursuant to subdivision 114
	159	+	(3) of subsection (d) of this section; [(D)] (4) the number of community 115
	160	+	health workers employed by each community action agency that 116
	161	+	received a grant at the time such agency received such grant and 117
	162	+	information regarding the services provided by such community health 118
	163	+	workers; and [(E)] (5) the number of community health workers 119
	164	+	employed by each community action agency that received a grant at the 120
	165	+	conclusion of the program and information regarding the services 121
	166	+	provided by such community health workers. 122
	167	+	Sec. 3. Section 37 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 123
	168	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 124
	169	+	passage): 125
	170	+	The sum of $3,000,000 allocated in section 41 of special act 21-15, [and] 126
	171	+	as amended by section 306 of [this act] public act 21-2 of the June special 127
	172	+	session, to the Department of Public Health, for Community Health 128
	173	+	Workers, for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, and June 30, 129
	174	+	2023, shall be for the purposes of the program established pursuant to 130
	175	+	section 36 of [this act] public act 21-2 of the June special session, as 131
	176	+	amended by this act. The Department of Public Health shall transfer 132
	177	+	such funds to the Department of Social Services. 133
	178	+	Sec. 4. Section 321 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 134
	179	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 135
	180	+	passage): 136
	181	+	The Commissioner of Social Services shall, within the ten million 137
	182	+	dollars in federal funds allocated to the Department of Social Services 138
	183	+	pursuant to section 1 of special act 21-1, as amended by this act, in 139
	184	+	accordance with the provisions of Subtitle M of Title IX of the American 140
	185	+	Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, as amended from time to time, 141
	186	+	provide temporary financial relief to nursing home facilities. [Grant 142
	187	+	allocations shall be made based on the per cent difference between the 143 Raised Bill No. 5431
	188	+
	189	+
	190	+
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	192	+
	193	+	issued and calculated reimbursement rate. The commissioner, within 144
	194	+	the available ten million dollars in federal funding allocated to the 145
	195	+	department for this purpose, shall issue one-time grants subject to a pro 146
	196	+	rata adjustment based on available funding.] 147
	197	+	Sec. 5. Section 325 of public act 21-2 of the June special session is 148
	198	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 149
	199	+	passage): 150
	200	+	Notwithstanding the provisions of section 17b-340 of the general 151
	201	+	statutes, for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, the 152
	202	+	Commissioner of Social Services shall, for the purposes of providing 153
	203	+	pandemic-related support, increase the minimum per diem, per bed rate 154
	204	+	to five hundred one dollars for a residential facility licensed pursuant to 155
	205	+	section 17a-227 of the general statutes and certified to participate in the 156
	206	+	Title XIX Medicaid program as an intermediate care facility for 157
	207	+	individuals with intellectual disability. 158
	208	+	Sec. 6. Section 17b-112 of the 2022 supplement to the general statutes 159
	209	+	is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 160
	210	+	passage): 161
	211	+	(a) The Department of Social Services shall administer a temporary 162
	212	+	family assistance program under which cash assistance shall be 163
	213	+	provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary 164
	214	+	assistance for needy families program, established pursuant to the 165
	215	+	Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 166
	216	+	1996. The Commissioner of Social Services may operate portions of the 167
	217	+	temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, 168
	218	+	separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy families 169
	219	+	program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will enable the 170
	220	+	state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary assistance for needy 171
	221	+	families program. Families receiving assistance under the solely state-172
	222	+	funded portion of the temporary family assistance program shall be 173
	223	+	subject to the same conditions of eligibility as those receiving assistance 174
	224	+	under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program. 175 Raised Bill No. 5431
	225	+
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	229	+
	230	+	Under the temporary family assistance program, benefits shall be 176
	231	+	provided to a family for not longer than twenty-one months, except as 177
	232	+	provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. For the purpose of 178
	233	+	calculating said twenty-one-month time limit, months of assistance 179
	234	+	received on and after January 1, 1996, pursuant to time limits under the 180
	235	+	aid to families with dependent children program, shall be included. For 181
	236	+	purposes of this section, "family" means one or more individuals who 182
	237	+	apply for or receive assistance together under the temporary family 183
	238	+	assistance program. If the commissioner determines that federal law 184
	239	+	allows individuals not otherwise in an eligible covered group for the 185
	240	+	temporary family assistance program to become covered, such family 186
	241	+	may also, at the discretion of the commissioner, be composed of (1) a 187
	242	+	pregnant woman, or (2) a parent, both parents or other caretaker relative 188
	243	+	and at least one child who is under the age of eighteen, or who is under 189
	244	+	the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school or its 190
	245	+	equivalent. A caretaker relative shall be related to the child or children 191
	246	+	by blood, marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian of such a 192
	247	+	child or pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve guardianship. 193
	248	+	If the commissioner elects to allow state eligibility consistent with any 194
	249	+	change in federal law, the commissioner may administratively transfer 195
	250	+	any qualifying family cases under the cash assistance portion of the 196
	251	+	state-administered general assistance program to the temporary family 197
	252	+	assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and enrollment 198
	253	+	procedures. If such families become an ineligible coverage group under 199
	254	+	the federal law, the commissioner shall administratively transfer such 200
	255	+	families back to the cash assistance portion of the state-administered 201
	256	+	general assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and 202
	257	+	enrollment procedures to the degree that such families are eligible for 203
	258	+	the state program. 204
	259	+	(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall exempt a family from 205
	260	+	such time-limited benefits for circumstances including, but not limited 206
	261	+	to: (1) A family with a needy caretaker relative who is incapacitated or 207
	262	+	of an advanced age, as defined by the commissioner, if there is no other 208
	263	+	nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (2) a family with a needy 209 Raised Bill No. 5431
	264	+
	265	+
	266	+
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	268	+
	269	+	caretaker relative who is needed in the home because of the incapacity 210
	270	+	of another member of the household, if there is no other nonexempt 211
	271	+	caretaker relative in the household; (3) a family with a caretaker relative 212
	272	+	who is not legally responsible for the dependent children in the 213
	273	+	household if such relative's needs are not considered in calculating the 214
	274	+	amount of the benefit and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative 215
	275	+	in the household; (4) a family with a caretaker relative caring for a child 216
	276	+	who is under one year of age if there is no other nonexempt caretaker 217
	277	+	relative in the household; (5) a family with a pregnant or postpartum 218
	278	+	caretaker relative if a physician has indicated that such relative is unable 219
	279	+	to work and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the 220
	280	+	household; (6) a family with a caretaker relative determined by the 221
	281	+	commissioner to be unemployable and there is no other nonexempt 222
	282	+	caretaker relative in the household; and (7) minor parents attending and 223
	283	+	satisfactorily completing high school or high school equivalency 224
	284	+	programs. 225
	285	+	(c) A family who is subject to time-limited benefits may petition the 226
	286	+	Commissioner of Social Services for six-month extensions of such 227
	287	+	benefits. The commissioner shall grant not more than two extensions to 228
	288	+	such family who has made a good faith effort to comply with the 229
	289	+	requirements of the program and despite such effort has a total family 230
	290	+	income at a level below the payment standard, or has encountered 231
	291	+	circumstances preventing employment including, but not limited to: (1) 232
	292	+	Domestic violence or physical harm to such family's children; or (2) 233
	293	+	other circumstances beyond such family's control. The commissioner 234
	294	+	shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in determining 235
	295	+	applicable family income. The commissioner may grant a subsequent 236
	296	+	six-month extension if each adult in the family meets one or more of the 237
	297	+	following criteria: (A) The adult is precluded from engaging in 238
	298	+	employment activities due to domestic violence or another reason 239
	299	+	beyond the adult's control; (B) the adult has two or more substantiated 240
	300	+	barriers to employment including, but not limited to, the lack of 241
	301	+	available child care, substance abuse or addiction, severe mental or 242
	302	+	physical health problems, one or more severe learning disabilities, 243 Raised Bill No. 5431
	303	+
	304	+
	305	+
	306	+	LCO No. 2948 9 of 12
	307	+
	308	+	domestic violence or a child who has a serious physical or behavioral 244
	309	+	health problem; (C) the adult is working thirty-five or more hours per 245
	310	+	week, is earning at least the minimum wage and continues to earn less 246
	311	+	than the family's temporary family assistance payment standard; or (D) 247
	312	+	the adult is employed and works less than thirty-five hours per week 248
	313	+	due to (i) a documented medical impairment that limits the adult's 249
	314	+	hours of employment, provided the adult works the maximum number 250
	315	+	of hours that the medical condition permits, or (ii) the need to care for a 251
	316	+	disabled member of the adult's household, provided the adult works the 252
	317	+	maximum number of hours the adult's caregiving responsibilities 253
	318	+	permit. Families receiving temporary family assistance shall be notified 254
	319	+	by the department of the right to petition for such extensions. 255
	320	+	Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall 256
	321	+	not provide benefits under the state's temporary family assistance 257
	322	+	program to a family that is subject to the twenty-one month benefit limit 258
	323	+	and has received benefits beginning on or after October 1, 1996, if such 259
	324	+	benefits result in that family's receiving more than sixty months of time-260
	325	+	limited benefits unless that family experiences domestic violence, as 261
	326	+	defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193. For the purpose of 262
	327	+	calculating said sixty-month limit: (I) A month shall count toward the 263
	328	+	limit if the family receives assistance for any day of the month, provided 264
	329	+	any months of temporary family assistance received during the public 265
	330	+	health emergency declared by Governor Ned Lamont related to the 266
	331	+	COVID-19 pandemic shall not be included, and (II) a month in which a 267
	332	+	family receives temporary assistance for needy families benefits that are 268
	333	+	issued from a jurisdiction other than Connecticut shall count toward the 269
	334	+	limit. 270
	335	+	(d) Under said program, no family shall be eligible that has total gross 271
	336	+	earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, however, in the calculation 272
	337	+	of the benefit amount for eligible families and previously eligible 273
	338	+	families that become ineligible temporarily because of receipt of 274
	339	+	workers' compensation benefits by a family member who subsequently 275
	340	+	returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of such benefits, 276
	341	+	earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal poverty level. 277 Raised Bill No. 5431
	342	+
	343	+
	344	+
	345	+	LCO No. 2948 10 of 12
	346	+
	347	+	Except when determining eligibility for a six-month extension of 278
	348	+	benefits pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner 279
	349	+	shall disregard the first fifty dollars per month of income attributable to 280
	350	+	current child support that a family receives in determining eligibility 281
	351	+	and benefit levels for temporary family assistance. Any current child 282
	352	+	support in excess of fifty dollars per month collected by the department 283
	353	+	on behalf of an eligible child shall be considered in determining 284
	354	+	eligibility but shall not be considered when calculating benefits and 285
	355	+	shall be taken as reimbursement for assistance paid under this section, 286
	356	+	except that when the current child support collected exceeds the family's 287
	357	+	monthly award of temporary family assistance benefits plus fifty 288
	358	+	dollars, the current child support shall be paid to the family and shall be 289
	359	+	considered when calculating benefits. 290
	360	+	(e) A family receiving assistance under said program shall cooperate 291
	361	+	with child support enforcement, under title IV-D of the Social Security 292
	362	+	Act. A family shall be ineligible for benefits for failure to cooperate with 293
	363	+	child support enforcement. 294
	364	+	(f) A family leaving assistance at the end of (1) said twenty-one-295
	365	+	month time limit, including a family with income above the payment 296
	366	+	standard, or (2) the sixty-month limit shall have an interview for the 297
	367	+	purpose of being informed of services that may continue to be available 298
	368	+	to such family, including employment services available through the 299
	369	+	Labor Department. Such interview shall include (A) a determination of 300
	370	+	benefits available to the family provided by the Department of Social 301
	371	+	Services; and (B) a determination of whether such family is eligible for 302
	372	+	supplemental nutrition assistance or Medicaid. Information and 303
	373	+	referrals shall be made to such a family for services and benefits 304
	374	+	including, but not limited to, the earned income tax credit, rental 305
	375	+	subsidies emergency housing, employment services and energy 306
	376	+	assistance. 307
	377	+	[(g) Notwithstanding section 17b-104, commencing on July 1, 2023, 308
	378	+	the Commissioner of Social Services shall provide an annual cost-of-309
	379	+	living adjustment in temporary family assistance benefits equal to the 310 Raised Bill No. 5431
	380	+
	381	+
	382	+
	383	+	LCO No. 2948 11 of 12
	384	+
	385	+	most recent percentage increase in the consumer price index for urban 311
	386	+	consumers whenever funds appropriated for temporary family 312
	387	+	assistance lapse at the close of any fiscal year and such adjustment has 313
	388	+	not otherwise been included in the budget for the assistance program, 314
	389	+	provided the increase would not create a budget deficiency in 315
	390	+	succeeding years. The commissioner shall provide a prorated benefit 316
	391	+	increase from such available lapsed funds in any fiscal year when such 317
	392	+	funds are not sufficient to cover a cost-of-living adjustment in 318
	393	+	accordance with this subsection.] 319
	394	+	[(h)] (g) An applicant or recipient of temporary family assistance who 320
	395	+	is adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Social 321
	396	+	Services may request and shall be provided a hearing in accordance 322
	397	+	with section 17b-60. 323
	398	+	Sec. 7. Section 1 of special act 21-1, as amended by section 86 of public 324
	399	+	act 21-2 of the June special session, is amended to read as follows 325
	400	+	(Effective from passage): 326
	401	+	(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, not later 327
	402	+	than [April 26, 2021] June 1, 2022, the Governor shall submit to the 328
	403	+	speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore 329
	404	+	of the Senate recommended allocations of federal funds designated for 330
	405	+	the state pursuant to the provisions of Subtitle M of Title IX of the 331
	406	+	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, as amended from time to 332
	407	+	time, except for any funds designated under the Coronavirus Local 333
	408	+	Fiscal Recovery Fund. Not later than five days after receipt of the 334
	409	+	recommended allocations, the speaker and the president pro tempore 335
	410	+	shall submit the recommended allocations to the joint standing 336
	411	+	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 337
	412	+	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. Said 338
	413	+	committee shall report their approval or modifications, if any, of such 339
	414	+	recommended allocations to the speaker and the president pro tempore 340
	415	+	not later than [May 16, 2021] July 1, 2022. Any partial or final allocations 341
	416	+	of such funds shall be authorized by public or special act of the General 342
	417	+	Assembly. Disbursement of such funds shall be in accordance with such 343 Raised Bill No. 5431
	418	+
	419	+
	420	+
	421	+	LCO No. 2948 12 of 12
	422	+
	423	+	partial or final allocations and no disbursement of such funds shall 344
	424	+	occur prior to such authorization. 345
	425	+	(b) If it is determined that any amount allocated by the General 346
	426	+	Assembly pursuant to subsection (a) of this section is not allowable 347
	427	+	under guidance provided by the federal government, including, but not 348
	428	+	limited to, the United States Treasury, the Secretary of the Office of 349
	429	+	Policy and Management shall immediately notify the joint standing 350
	430	+	committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 351
	431	+	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies of the 352
	432	+	specific amount and recipient of such allocation and the reason for such 353
	433	+	determination. 354
170	434		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
171	435		sections:
172	436
173		-	Section 1 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
	437	+	Section 1 from passage 19a-7d
	438	+	Sec. 2 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
174	439		Sess., Sec. 36
175		-	Sec. 2 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
	440	+	Sec. 3 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
176	441		Sess., Sec. 37
177		-	Sec. 3 from passage SA 21-1, Sec. 1
	442	+	Sec. 4 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
	443	+	Sess., Sec. 321
	444	+	Sec. 5 from passage PA 21-2 of the June Sp.
	445	+	Sess., Sec. 325
	446	+	Sec. 6 from passage 17b-112
	447	+	Sec. 7 from passage SA 21-1, Sec. 1
178	448
179		-	APP Joint Favorable Subst.
	449	+	Statement of Purpose:
	450	+	To make changes concerning the expenditure of funds received by the
	451	+	state under the Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
	452	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	453	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	454	+	underlined.]
180	455