LCO No. 3905 1 of 10
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6629
January Session, 2023
LCO No. 3905
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
AN ACT CONCERNING TEMPORARY FAMILY ASSISTANCE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-112 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2
(a) The Department of Social Services shall administer a temporary 3
family assistance program under which cash assistance shall be 4
provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary 5
assistance for needy families program, established pursuant to the 6
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 7
1996. The Commissioner of Social Services may operate portions of the 8
temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, 9
separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy families 10
program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will enable the 11
state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary assistance for needy 12
families program. Families receiving assistance under the solely state-13
funded portion of the temporary family assistance program shall be 14
subject to the same conditions of eligibility as those receiving assistance 15
under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program. 16 Raised Bill No. 6629
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Under the temporary family assistance program, benefits shall be 17
provided to a family for not longer than [twenty-one] sixty months, 18
except as provided in [subsections (b) and (c)] subsection (b) of this 19
section. [For the purpose of calculating said twenty-one-month time 20
limit, months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, 21
pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent 22
children program, shall be included.] For purposes of this section, 23
"family" means one or more individuals who apply for or receive 24
assistance together under the temporary family assistance program. If 25
the commissioner determines that federal law allows individuals not 26
otherwise in an eligible covered group for the temporary family 27
assistance program to become covered, such family may also, at the 28
discretion of the commissioner, be composed of (1) a pregnant woman, 29
or (2) a parent, both parents or other caretaker relative and at least one 30
child who is under the age of eighteen, or who is under the age of 31
nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school or its equivalent. 32
A caretaker relative shall be related to the child or children by blood, 33
marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian of such a child or 34
pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve guardianship. If the 35
commissioner elects to allow state eligibility consistent with any change 36
in federal law, the commissioner may administratively transfer any 37
qualifying family cases under the cash assistance portion of the state-38
administered general assistance program to the temporary family 39
assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and enrollment 40
procedures. If such families become an ineligible coverage group under 41
the federal law, the commissioner shall administratively transfer such 42
families back to the cash assistance portion of the state-administered 43
general assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and 44
enrollment procedures to the degree that such families are eligible for 45
the state program. For the purpose of calculating said sixty-month time 46
limit: 47
(A) Months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, 48
pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent 49
children program, shall be included; 50 Raised Bill No. 6629
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(B) A month shall count toward the limit if the family receives 51
assistance for any day of the month, provided any months of temporary 52
family assistance received during the public health emergency declared 53
by Governor Ned Lamont related to the COVID-19 pandemic shall not 54
be included; and 55
(C) A month in which a family receives temporary assistance for 56
needy families benefits that are issued from a jurisdiction other than 57
Connecticut shall count toward the limit. 58
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall exempt a family from 59
such time-limited benefits for circumstances including, but not limited 60
to: (1) A family with a needy caretaker relative who is incapacitated or 61
of an advanced age, as defined by the commissioner, if there is no other 62
nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (2) a family with a needy 63
caretaker relative who is needed in the home because of the incapacity 64
of another member of the household, if there is no other nonexempt 65
caretaker relative in the household; (3) a family with a caretaker relative 66
who is not legally responsible for the dependent children in the 67
household if such relative's needs are not considered in calculating the 68
amount of the benefit and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative 69
in the household; (4) a family with a caretaker relative caring for a child 70
who is under one year of age if there is no other nonexempt caretaker 71
relative in the household; (5) a family with a pregnant or postpartum 72
caretaker relative if a physician has indicated that such relative is unable 73
to work and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the 74
household; (6) a family with a caretaker relative determined by the 75
commissioner to be unemployable and there is no other nonexempt 76
caretaker relative in the household; [and] (7) minor parents attending 77
and satisfactorily completing high school or high school equivalency 78
programs; and (8) a family that has encountered circumstances 79
preventing employment, including, but not limited to, (A) domestic 80
violence, as defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193, or physical 81
harm to such family's children; or (B) other circumstances beyond such 82
family's control. 83 Raised Bill No. 6629
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[(c) A family who is subject to time-limited benefits may petition the 84
Commissioner of Social Services for six-month extensions of such 85
benefits. The commissioner shall grant not more than two extensions to 86
such family who has made a good faith effort to comply with the 87
requirements of the program and despite such effort has a total family 88
income at a level below the payment standard, or has encountered 89
circumstances preventing employment including, but not limited to: (1) 90
Domestic violence or physical harm to such family's children; or (2) 91
other circumstances beyond such family's control. The commissioner 92
shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in determining 93
applicable family income. The commissioner may grant a subsequent 94
six-month extension if each adult in the family meets one or more of the 95
following criteria: (A) The adult is precluded from engaging in 96
employment activities due to domestic violence or another reason 97
beyond the adult's control; (B) the adult has two or more substantiated 98
barriers to employment including, but not limited to, the lack of 99
available child care, substance abuse or addiction, severe mental or 100
physical health problems, one or more severe learning disabilities, 101
domestic violence or a child who has a serious physical or behavioral 102
health problem; (C) the adult is working thirty-five or more hours per 103
week, is earning at least the minimum wage and continues to earn less 104
than the family's temporary family assistance payment standard; or (D) 105
the adult is employed and works less than thirty-five hours per week 106
due to (i) a documented medical impairment that limits the adult's 107
hours of employment, provided the adult works the maximum number 108
of hours that the medical condition permits, or (ii) the need to care for a 109
disabled member of the adult's household, provided the adult works the 110
maximum number of hours the adult's caregiving responsibilities 111
permit. Families receiving temporary family assistance shall be notified 112
by the department of the right to petition for such extensions. 113
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall 114
not provide benefits under the state's temporary family assistance 115
program to a family that is subject to the twenty-one month benefit limit 116
and has received benefits beginning on or after October 1, 1996, if such 117
benefits result in that family's receiving more than sixty months of time-118 Raised Bill No. 6629
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limited benefits unless that family experiences domestic violence, as 119
defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193. For the purpose of 120
calculating said sixty-month limit: (I) A month shall count toward the 121
limit if the family receives assistance for any day of the month, provided 122
any months of temporary family assistance received during the public 123
health emergency declared by Governor Ned Lamont related to the 124
COVID-19 pandemic shall not be included, and (II) a month in which a 125
family receives temporary assistance for needy families benefits that are 126
issued from a jurisdiction other than Connecticut shall count toward the 127
limit.] 128
[(d)] (c) Under said program, no family shall be eligible that has total 129
gross earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, however, in the 130
calculation of the benefit amount for eligible families and previously 131
eligible families that become ineligible temporarily because of receipt of 132
workers' compensation benefits by a family member who subsequently 133
returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of such benefits, 134
earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal poverty level. 135
[Except when determining eligibility for a six-month extension of 136
benefits pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the] For a family that 137
would lose eligibility due to new employment with earnings exceeding 138
the federal poverty level, the commissioner shall gradually reduce 139
benefits over a period of ninety days prior to the date on which the 140
family is no longer eligible for benefits under the program. The 141
commissioner shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in 142
determining applicable family income. The commissioner shall 143
disregard the first fifty dollars per month of income attributable to 144
current child support that a family receives in determining eligibility 145
and benefit levels for temporary family assistance. Any current child 146
support in excess of fifty dollars per month collected by the department 147
on behalf of an eligible child shall be considered in determining 148
eligibility but shall not be considered when calculating benefits and 149
shall be taken as reimbursement for assistance paid under this section, 150
except that when the current child support collected exceeds the family's 151
monthly award of temporary family assistance benefits plus fifty 152 Raised Bill No. 6629
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dollars, the current child support shall be paid to the family and shall be 153
considered when calculating benefits. 154
[(e)] (d) A family receiving assistance under said program shall 155
cooperate with child support enforcement, under title IV-D of the Social 156
Security Act. A family shall be ineligible for benefits for failure to 157
cooperate with child support enforcement. 158
[(f)] (e) A family leaving assistance at the end of [(1) said twenty-one- 159
month time limit, including a family with income above the payment 160
standard, or (2)] the sixty-month limit, including a family with income 161
above the payment standard, shall have an interview for the purpose of 162
being informed of services that may continue to be available to such 163
family, including employment services available through the Labor 164
Department. Such interview shall include (A) a determination of 165
benefits available to the family provided by the Department of Social 166
Services; and (B) a determination of whether such family is eligible for 167
supplemental nutrition assistance or Medicaid. Information and 168
referrals shall be made to such a family for services and benefits 169
including, but not limited to, the earned income tax credit, rental 170
subsidies emergency housing, employment services and energy 171
assistance. 172
[(g)] (f) Notwithstanding section 17b-104, commencing on July 1, 173
2023, the Commissioner of Social Services shall provide an annual cost-174
of-living adjustment in temporary family assistance benefits equal to the 175
most recent percentage increase in the consumer price index for urban 176
consumers whenever funds appropriated for temporary family 177
assistance lapse at the close of any fiscal year and such adjustment has 178
not otherwise been included in the budget for the assistance program, 179
provided the increase would not create a budget deficiency in 180
succeeding years. The commissioner shall provide a prorated benefit 181
increase from such available lapsed funds in any fiscal year when such 182
funds are not sufficient to cover a cost-of-living adjustment in 183
accordance with this subsection. 184 Raised Bill No. 6629
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[(h)] (g) An applicant or recipient of temporary family assistance who 185
is adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Social 186
Services may request and shall be provided a hearing in accordance 187
with section 17b-60. 188
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 17b-112b of the general statutes is 189
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 190
2023): 191
(a) An applicant or recipient who is a past or present victim of 192
domestic violence or at risk of further domestic violence, pursuant to 193
subsection (c) of section 17b-112a, shall, for good cause: (1) Be excused 194
from failing to participate in a work activity; or (2) be exempted from 195
child support enforcement requirements pursuant to subsection [(e)] (d) 196
of section 17b-112, as amended by this act. Such an applicant or recipient 197
may, for good cause, be granted an [extension of cash assistance beyond 198
twenty-one months] exemption from the sixty-month time limit for 199
temporary family assistance, pursuant to section 17b-112, as amended 200
by this act, provided the domestic violence experienced is of sufficient 201
magnitude to reasonably render the individual unable to obtain or 202
maintain employment. 203
Sec. 3. Section 17b-112e of the general statutes is repealed and the 204
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 205
(a) The Department of Social Services shall provide safety net services 206
for certain families identified as having significant barriers to 207
employment and families who are at risk of losing benefits under the 208
temporary family assistance program or no longer receiving program 209
benefits. To be eligible for safety net services, such families shall: (1) 210
Have been identified as having significant barriers to employment 211
during the initial assessment by the department's eligibility worker or 212
during the first twelve months of employment services by an 213
employment services case manager; (2) have made a good faith effort to 214
seek and maintain employment but have not been able to do so or be at 215
risk of failing to complete the employment services program; or (3) have 216 Raised Bill No. 6629
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exhausted their eligibility for temporary family assistance program 217
benefits. [; or (4) not be eligible for six-month extensions of temporary 218
family assistance benefits due to: (A) The receipt of two sanctions from 219
the department during the first twenty months of the twenty-one-month 220
time limit of said temporary family assistance program; or (B) the 221
determination by the department that such a family has not made a 222
good faith effort to seek and maintain employment.] 223
(b) Said safety net shall consist of services provided through the 224
existing community service delivery network with additional resources 225
provided by the Department of Social Services. Services shall be 226
provided in-kind or through vendor or voucher payment. Services may 227
include the following: (1) Food, shelter, clothing and employment 228
assistance; (2) eviction prevention; (3) an in-depth family needs 229
assessment; (4) intensive case management that includes visits to the 230
family's home; (5) continuous monitoring for child abuse or neglect; and 231
(6) for families at risk of losing benefits under the temporary family 232
assistance program, individual performance contracts administered by 233
the Labor Department that require job training, job searching, volunteer 234
work, participation in parenting programs or counseling or any other 235
requirements deemed necessary by the Labor Commissioner. 236
[(c) Families successfully meeting the program requirements 237
established by the individual performance contracts in subdivision (6) 238
of subsection (b) of this section prior to the end of the twenty-one-month 239
time limit shall be considered to have made a good faith effort to comply 240
with the requirements of the program for the purposes of qualifying for 241
a six-month extension, provided they have made a good faith effort to 242
comply with the individual performance contract or have not incurred 243
a sanction subsequent to completing the individual performance 244
contract.] 245
[(d)] (c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement policies 246
and procedures necessary for the purposes of this section while in the 247
process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, 248
provided the commissioner [prints] posts notice of intention to adopt 249 Raised Bill No. 6629
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the regulations [in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days of] 250
on the eRegulations System and the department's Internet web site not 251
later than twenty days after implementing such policies and procedures. 252
Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection shall 253
be valid until the time final regulations are effective. 254
Sec. 4. Subsection (d) of section 17b-112g of the general statutes is 255
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 256
2023): 257
(d) A family receiving diversion assistance shall be ineligible to 258
receive monthly temporary family assistance payments for a period of 259
three months from the date of application for temporary family 260
assistance, except that such family shall be eligible to receive temporary 261
family assistance payments within such period if the Commissioner of 262
Social Services, or the commissioner's designee, in the commissioner's 263
sole discretion, determines that the family has experienced undue 264
hardship. A family that is subject to the [twenty-one-month] sixty-265
month benefit limit under temporary family assistance shall have 266
diversion assistance count as three months toward such limit. [Nothing 267
in this section shall prohibit a family receiving diversion assistance that 268
later qualifies for temporary family assistance from qualifying for a six-269
month extension available to recipients of temporary family assistance 270
who did not receive diversion assistance.] 271
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2023 17b-112
Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 17b-112b(a)
Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 17b-112e
Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 17b-112g(d)
Statement of Purpose:
To extend the time limit for temporary family assistance to sixty months
and to gradually reduce benefits for newly employed beneficiaries to
encourage employment. Raised Bill No. 6629
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[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]