CT
Connecticut House Bill HB06629

Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06629 Compare Versions

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75 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6629
86 January Session, 2023
97 LCO No. 3905
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119
1210 Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
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1513 Introduced by:
1614 (HS)
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2019 AN ACT CONCERNING TEMPORARY FAMILY ASSISTANCE.
2120 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
2221 Assembly convened:
2322
2423 Section 1. Section 17b-112 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
2524 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2
2625 (a) The Department of Social Services shall administer a temporary 3
2726 family assistance program under which cash assistance shall be 4
2827 provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary 5
2928 assistance for needy families program, established pursuant to the 6
3029 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 7
3130 1996. The Commissioner of Social Services may operate portions of the 8
32-temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded 9
33-program, separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy 10
34-families program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will 11
35-enable the state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary 12
36-assistance for needy families program. Families receiving assistance 13
37-under the solely state-funded portion of the temporary family 14
38-assistance program shall be subject to the same conditions of eligibility 15
39-as those receiving assistance under the federal temporary assistance for 16 Bill No. 6629
31+temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, 9
32+separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy families 10
33+program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will enable the 11
34+state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary assistance for needy 12
35+families program. Families receiving assistance under the solely state-13
36+funded portion of the temporary family assistance program shall be 14
37+subject to the same conditions of eligibility as those receiving assistance 15
38+under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program. 16 Raised Bill No. 6629
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46-needy families program. Under the temporary family assistance 17
47-program, benefits shall be provided to a family for not longer than 18
48-[twenty-one] sixty months, except as provided in [subsections (b) and 19
49-(c)] subsection (b) of this section. [For the purpose of calculating said 20
50-twenty-one-month time limit, months of assistance received on and 21
51-after January 1, 1996, pursuant to time limits under the aid to families 22
52-with dependent children program, shall be included.] For purposes of 23
53-this section, "family" means one or more individuals who apply for or 24
54-receive assistance together under the temporary family assistance 25
55-program. If the commissioner determines that federal law allows 26
56-individuals not otherwise in an eligible covered group for the 27
57-temporary family assistance program to become covered, such family 28
58-may also, at the discretion of the commissioner, be composed of (1) a 29
59-pregnant woman, or (2) a parent, both parents or other caretaker 30
60-relative and at least one child who is under the age of eighteen, or who 31
61-is under the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary 32
62-school or its equivalent. A caretaker relative shall be related to the 33
63-child or children by blood, marriage or adoption or shall be the legal 34
64-guardian of such a child or pursuing legal proceedings necessary to 35
65-achieve guardianship. If the commissioner elects to allow state 36
66-eligibility consistent with any change in federal law, the commissioner 37
67-may administratively transfer any qualifying family cases under the 38
68-cash assistance portion of the state-administered general assistance 39
69-program to the temporary family assistance program without regard 40
70-to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures. If such families become 41
71-an ineligible coverage group under the federal law, the commissioner 42
72-shall administratively transfer such families back to the cash assistance 43
73-portion of the state-administered general assistance program without 44
74-regard to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures to the degree that 45
75-such families are eligible for the state program. For the purpose of 46
76-calculating said sixty-month time limit: 47
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44+Under the temporary family assistance program, benefits shall be 17
45+provided to a family for not longer than [twenty-one] sixty months, 18
46+except as provided in [subsections (b) and (c)] subsection (b) of this 19
47+section. [For the purpose of calculating said twenty-one-month time 20
48+limit, months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, 21
49+pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent 22
50+children program, shall be included.] For purposes of this section, 23
51+"family" means one or more individuals who apply for or receive 24
52+assistance together under the temporary family assistance program. If 25
53+the commissioner determines that federal law allows individuals not 26
54+otherwise in an eligible covered group for the temporary family 27
55+assistance program to become covered, such family may also, at the 28
56+discretion of the commissioner, be composed of (1) a pregnant woman, 29
57+or (2) a parent, both parents or other caretaker relative and at least one 30
58+child who is under the age of eighteen, or who is under the age of 31
59+nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school or its equivalent. 32
60+A caretaker relative shall be related to the child or children by blood, 33
61+marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian of such a child or 34
62+pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve guardianship. If the 35
63+commissioner elects to allow state eligibility consistent with any change 36
64+in federal law, the commissioner may administratively transfer any 37
65+qualifying family cases under the cash assistance portion of the state-38
66+administered general assistance program to the temporary family 39
67+assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and enrollment 40
68+procedures. If such families become an ineligible coverage group under 41
69+the federal law, the commissioner shall administratively transfer such 42
70+families back to the cash assistance portion of the state-administered 43
71+general assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and 44
72+enrollment procedures to the degree that such families are eligible for 45
73+the state program. For the purpose of calculating said sixty-month time 46
74+limit: 47
7775 (A) Months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, 48
7876 pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent 49
79-children program, shall be included; 50 Bill No. 6629
77+children program, shall be included; 50 Raised Bill No. 6629
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8683 (B) A month shall count toward the limit if the family receives 51
87-assistance for any day of the month, provided any months of 52
88-temporary family assistance received during the public health 53
89-emergency declared by Governor Ned Lamont related to the COVID-54
90-19 pandemic shall not be included; and 55
84+assistance for any day of the month, provided any months of temporary 52
85+family assistance received during the public health emergency declared 53
86+by Governor Ned Lamont related to the COVID-19 pandemic shall not 54
87+be included; and 55
9188 (C) A month in which a family receives temporary assistance for 56
9289 needy families benefits that are issued from a jurisdiction other than 57
9390 Connecticut shall count toward the limit. 58
9491 (b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall exempt a family from 59
9592 such time-limited benefits for circumstances including, but not limited 60
9693 to: (1) A family with a needy caretaker relative who is incapacitated or 61
97-of an advanced age, as defined by the commissioner, if there is no 62
98-other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (2) a family with 63
99-a needy caretaker relative who is needed in the home because of the 64
100-incapacity of another member of the household, if there is no other 65
101-nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (3) a family with a 66
102-caretaker relative who is not legally responsible for the dependent 67
103-children in the household if such relative's needs are not considered in 68
104-calculating the amount of the benefit and there is no other nonexempt 69
105-caretaker relative in the household; (4) a family with a caretaker 70
106-relative caring for a child who is under one year of age if there is no 71
107-other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (5) a family with 72
108-a pregnant or postpartum caretaker relative if a physician has 73
109-indicated that such relative is unable to work and there is no other 74
110-nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (6) a family with a 75
111-caretaker relative determined by the commissioner to be unemployable 76
112-and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; 77
113-[and] (7) minor parents attending and satisfactorily completing high 78
114-school or high school equivalency programs; and (8) a family that has 79
115-encountered circumstances preventing employment, including, but not 80
116-limited to, (A) domestic violence, as defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), 81
117-P.L. 104-193, or physical harm to such family's children; or (B) other 82
118-circumstances beyond such family's control. 83 Bill No. 6629
94+of an advanced age, as defined by the commissioner, if there is no other 62
95+nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (2) a family with a needy 63
96+caretaker relative who is needed in the home because of the incapacity 64
97+of another member of the household, if there is no other nonexempt 65
98+caretaker relative in the household; (3) a family with a caretaker relative 66
99+who is not legally responsible for the dependent children in the 67
100+household if such relative's needs are not considered in calculating the 68
101+amount of the benefit and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative 69
102+in the household; (4) a family with a caretaker relative caring for a child 70
103+who is under one year of age if there is no other nonexempt caretaker 71
104+relative in the household; (5) a family with a pregnant or postpartum 72
105+caretaker relative if a physician has indicated that such relative is unable 73
106+to work and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the 74
107+household; (6) a family with a caretaker relative determined by the 75
108+commissioner to be unemployable and there is no other nonexempt 76
109+caretaker relative in the household; [and] (7) minor parents attending 77
110+and satisfactorily completing high school or high school equivalency 78
111+programs; and (8) a family that has encountered circumstances 79
112+preventing employment, including, but not limited to, (A) domestic 80
113+violence, as defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193, or physical 81
114+harm to such family's children; or (B) other circumstances beyond such 82
115+family's control. 83 Raised Bill No. 6629
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125121 [(c) A family who is subject to time-limited benefits may petition the 84
126122 Commissioner of Social Services for six-month extensions of such 85
127123 benefits. The commissioner shall grant not more than two extensions to 86
128124 such family who has made a good faith effort to comply with the 87
129125 requirements of the program and despite such effort has a total family 88
130126 income at a level below the payment standard, or has encountered 89
131-circumstances preventing employment including, but not limited to: 90
132-(1) Domestic violence or physical harm to such family's children; or (2) 91
127+circumstances preventing employment including, but not limited to: (1) 90
128+Domestic violence or physical harm to such family's children; or (2) 91
133129 other circumstances beyond such family's control. The commissioner 92
134130 shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in determining 93
135131 applicable family income. The commissioner may grant a subsequent 94
136-six-month extension if each adult in the family meets one or more of 95
137-the following criteria: (A) The adult is precluded from engaging in 96
132+six-month extension if each adult in the family meets one or more of the 95
133+following criteria: (A) The adult is precluded from engaging in 96
138134 employment activities due to domestic violence or another reason 97
139135 beyond the adult's control; (B) the adult has two or more substantiated 98
140136 barriers to employment including, but not limited to, the lack of 99
141137 available child care, substance abuse or addiction, severe mental or 100
142138 physical health problems, one or more severe learning disabilities, 101
143139 domestic violence or a child who has a serious physical or behavioral 102
144140 health problem; (C) the adult is working thirty-five or more hours per 103
145141 week, is earning at least the minimum wage and continues to earn less 104
146-than the family's temporary family assistance payment standard; or 105
147-(D) the adult is employed and works less than thirty-five hours per 106
148-week due to (i) a documented medical impairment that limits the 107
149-adult's hours of employment, provided the adult works the maximum 108
150-number of hours that the medical condition permits, or (ii) the need to 109
151-care for a disabled member of the adult's household, provided the 110
152-adult works the maximum number of hours the adult's caregiving 111
153-responsibilities permit. Families receiving temporary family assistance 112
154-shall be notified by the department of the right to petition for such 113
155-extensions. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the 114
156-commissioner shall not provide benefits under the state's temporary 115
157-family assistance program to a family that is subject to the twenty-one 116
158-month benefit limit and has received benefits beginning on or after 117
159-October 1, 1996, if such benefits result in that family's receiving more 118 Bill No. 6629
142+than the family's temporary family assistance payment standard; or (D) 105
143+the adult is employed and works less than thirty-five hours per week 106
144+due to (i) a documented medical impairment that limits the adult's 107
145+hours of employment, provided the adult works the maximum number 108
146+of hours that the medical condition permits, or (ii) the need to care for a 109
147+disabled member of the adult's household, provided the adult works the 110
148+maximum number of hours the adult's caregiving responsibilities 111
149+permit. Families receiving temporary family assistance shall be notified 112
150+by the department of the right to petition for such extensions. 113
151+Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall 114
152+not provide benefits under the state's temporary family assistance 115
153+program to a family that is subject to the twenty-one month benefit limit 116
154+and has received benefits beginning on or after October 1, 1996, if such 117
155+benefits result in that family's receiving more than sixty months of time-118 Raised Bill No. 6629
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166-than sixty months of time-limited benefits unless that family 119
167-experiences domestic violence, as defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 120
168-104-193. For the purpose of calculating said sixty-month limit: (I) A 121
169-month shall count toward the limit if the family receives assistance for 122
170-any day of the month, provided any months of temporary family 123
171-assistance received during the public health emergency declared by 124
172-Governor Ned Lamont related to the COVID-19 pandemic shall not be 125
173-included, and (II) a month in which a family receives temporary 126
174-assistance for needy families benefits that are issued from a jurisdiction 127
175-other than Connecticut shall count toward the limit.] 128
176-[(d)] (c) Under said program, no family shall be eligible that has 129
177-total gross earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, however, in 130
178-the calculation of the benefit amount for eligible families and 131
179-previously eligible families that become ineligible temporarily because 132
180-of receipt of workers' compensation benefits by a family member who 133
181-subsequently returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of 134
182-such benefits, earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal 135
183-poverty level. [Except when determining eligibility for a six-month 136
184-extension of benefits pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the] For 137
185-a family that would lose eligibility due to new employment with 138
186-earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, the commissioner shall 139
187-gradually reduce benefits over a period of ninety days prior to the date 140
188-on which the family is no longer eligible for benefits under the 141
189-program. The commissioner shall disregard ninety dollars of earned 142
190-income in determining applicable family income. The commissioner 143
191-shall disregard the first fifty dollars per month of income attributable 144
192-to current child support that a family receives in determining 145
193-eligibility and benefit levels for temporary family assistance. Any 146
194-current child support in excess of fifty dollars per month collected by 147
195-the department on behalf of an eligible child shall be considered in 148
196-determining eligibility but shall not be considered when calculating 149
197-benefits and shall be taken as reimbursement for assistance paid under 150
198-this section, except that when the current child support collected 151
199-exceeds the family's monthly award of temporary family assistance 152 Bill No. 6629
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161+limited benefits unless that family experiences domestic violence, as 119
162+defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193. For the purpose of 120
163+calculating said sixty-month limit: (I) A month shall count toward the 121
164+limit if the family receives assistance for any day of the month, provided 122
165+any months of temporary family assistance received during the public 123
166+health emergency declared by Governor Ned Lamont related to the 124
167+COVID-19 pandemic shall not be included, and (II) a month in which a 125
168+family receives temporary assistance for needy families benefits that are 126
169+issued from a jurisdiction other than Connecticut shall count toward the 127
170+limit.] 128
171+[(d)] (c) Under said program, no family shall be eligible that has total 129
172+gross earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, however, in the 130
173+calculation of the benefit amount for eligible families and previously 131
174+eligible families that become ineligible temporarily because of receipt of 132
175+workers' compensation benefits by a family member who subsequently 133
176+returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of such benefits, 134
177+earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal poverty level. 135
178+[Except when determining eligibility for a six-month extension of 136
179+benefits pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the] For a family that 137
180+would lose eligibility due to new employment with earnings exceeding 138
181+the federal poverty level, the commissioner shall gradually reduce 139
182+benefits over a period of ninety days prior to the date on which the 140
183+family is no longer eligible for benefits under the program. The 141
184+commissioner shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in 142
185+determining applicable family income. The commissioner shall 143
186+disregard the first fifty dollars per month of income attributable to 144
187+current child support that a family receives in determining eligibility 145
188+and benefit levels for temporary family assistance. Any current child 146
189+support in excess of fifty dollars per month collected by the department 147
190+on behalf of an eligible child shall be considered in determining 148
191+eligibility but shall not be considered when calculating benefits and 149
192+shall be taken as reimbursement for assistance paid under this section, 150
193+except that when the current child support collected exceeds the family's 151
194+monthly award of temporary family assistance benefits plus fifty 152 Raised Bill No. 6629
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206-benefits plus fifty dollars, the current child support shall be paid to the 153
207-family and shall be considered when calculating benefits. 154
198+LCO No. 3905 6 of 10
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200+dollars, the current child support shall be paid to the family and shall be 153
201+considered when calculating benefits. 154
208202 [(e)] (d) A family receiving assistance under said program shall 155
209-cooperate with child support enforcement, under title IV-D of the 156
210-Social Security Act. A family shall be ineligible for benefits for failure 157
211-to cooperate with child support enforcement. 158
212-[(f)] (e) A family leaving assistance at the end of [(1) said twenty-159
213-one- month time limit, including a family with income above the 160
214-payment standard, or (2)] the sixty-month limit, including a family 161
215-with income above the payment standard, shall have an interview for 162
216-the purpose of being informed of services that may continue to be 163
217-available to such family, including employment services available 164
218-through the Labor Department. Such interview shall include (A) a 165
219-determination of benefits available to the family provided by the 166
220-Department of Social Services; and (B) a determination of whether 167
221-such family is eligible for supplemental nutrition assistance or 168
222-Medicaid. Information and referrals shall be made to such a family for 169
223-services and benefits including, but not limited to, the earned income 170
224-tax credit, rental subsidies emergency housing, employment services 171
225-and energy assistance. 172
203+cooperate with child support enforcement, under title IV-D of the Social 156
204+Security Act. A family shall be ineligible for benefits for failure to 157
205+cooperate with child support enforcement. 158
206+[(f)] (e) A family leaving assistance at the end of [(1) said twenty-one- 159
207+month time limit, including a family with income above the payment 160
208+standard, or (2)] the sixty-month limit, including a family with income 161
209+above the payment standard, shall have an interview for the purpose of 162
210+being informed of services that may continue to be available to such 163
211+family, including employment services available through the Labor 164
212+Department. Such interview shall include (A) a determination of 165
213+benefits available to the family provided by the Department of Social 166
214+Services; and (B) a determination of whether such family is eligible for 167
215+supplemental nutrition assistance or Medicaid. Information and 168
216+referrals shall be made to such a family for services and benefits 169
217+including, but not limited to, the earned income tax credit, rental 170
218+subsidies emergency housing, employment services and energy 171
219+assistance. 172
226220 [(g)] (f) Notwithstanding section 17b-104, commencing on July 1, 173
227221 2023, the Commissioner of Social Services shall provide an annual cost-174
228-of-living adjustment in temporary family assistance benefits equal to 175
229-the most recent percentage increase in the consumer price index for 176
230-urban consumers whenever funds appropriated for temporary family 177
222+of-living adjustment in temporary family assistance benefits equal to the 175
223+most recent percentage increase in the consumer price index for urban 176
224+consumers whenever funds appropriated for temporary family 177
231225 assistance lapse at the close of any fiscal year and such adjustment has 178
232226 not otherwise been included in the budget for the assistance program, 179
233227 provided the increase would not create a budget deficiency in 180
234228 succeeding years. The commissioner shall provide a prorated benefit 181
235229 increase from such available lapsed funds in any fiscal year when such 182
236230 funds are not sufficient to cover a cost-of-living adjustment in 183
237-accordance with this subsection. 184 Bill No. 6629
231+accordance with this subsection. 184 Raised Bill No. 6629
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244-[(h)] (g) An applicant or recipient of temporary family assistance 185
245-who is adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Social 186
235+LCO No. 3905 7 of 10
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237+[(h)] (g) An applicant or recipient of temporary family assistance who 185
238+is adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Social 186
246239 Services may request and shall be provided a hearing in accordance 187
247240 with section 17b-60. 188
248241 Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 17b-112b of the general statutes is 189
249-repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 190
250-1, 2023): 191
242+repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 190
243+2023): 191
251244 (a) An applicant or recipient who is a past or present victim of 192
252245 domestic violence or at risk of further domestic violence, pursuant to 193
253246 subsection (c) of section 17b-112a, shall, for good cause: (1) Be excused 194
254247 from failing to participate in a work activity; or (2) be exempted from 195
255-child support enforcement requirements pursuant to subsection [(e)] 196
256-(d) of section 17b-112, as amended by this act. Such an applicant or 197
257-recipient may, for good cause, be granted an [extension of cash 198
258-assistance beyond twenty-one months] exemption from the sixty-199
259-month time limit for temporary family assistance, pursuant to section 200
260-17b-112, as amended by this act, provided the domestic violence 201
261-experienced is of sufficient magnitude to reasonably render the 202
262-individual unable to obtain or maintain employment. 203
248+child support enforcement requirements pursuant to subsection [(e)] (d) 196
249+of section 17b-112, as amended by this act. Such an applicant or recipient 197
250+may, for good cause, be granted an [extension of cash assistance beyond 198
251+twenty-one months] exemption from the sixty-month time limit for 199
252+temporary family assistance, pursuant to section 17b-112, as amended 200
253+by this act, provided the domestic violence experienced is of sufficient 201
254+magnitude to reasonably render the individual unable to obtain or 202
255+maintain employment. 203
263256 Sec. 3. Section 17b-112e of the general statutes is repealed and the 204
264257 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 205
265-(a) The Department of Social Services shall provide safety net 206
266-services for certain families identified as having significant barriers to 207
258+(a) The Department of Social Services shall provide safety net services 206
259+for certain families identified as having significant barriers to 207
267260 employment and families who are at risk of losing benefits under the 208
268261 temporary family assistance program or no longer receiving program 209
269262 benefits. To be eligible for safety net services, such families shall: (1) 210
270263 Have been identified as having significant barriers to employment 211
271264 during the initial assessment by the department's eligibility worker or 212
272265 during the first twelve months of employment services by an 213
273-employment services case manager; (2) have made a good faith effort 214
274-to seek and maintain employment but have not been able to do so or 215
275-be at risk of failing to complete the employment services program; or 216 Bill No. 6629
266+employment services case manager; (2) have made a good faith effort to 214
267+seek and maintain employment but have not been able to do so or be at 215
268+risk of failing to complete the employment services program; or (3) have 216 Raised Bill No. 6629
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282-(3) have exhausted their eligibility for temporary family assistance 217
283-program benefits. [; or (4) not be eligible for six-month extensions of 218
284-temporary family assistance benefits due to: (A) The receipt of two 219
285-sanctions from the department during the first twenty months of the 220
286-twenty-one-month time limit of said temporary family assistance 221
287-program; or (B) the determination by the department that such a 222
288-family has not made a good faith effort to seek and maintain 223
289-employment.] 224
290-(b) Said safety net shall consist of services provided through the 225
291-existing community service delivery network with additional 226
292-resources provided by the Department of Social Services. Services shall 227
293-be provided in-kind or through vendor or voucher payment. Services 228
294-may include the following: (1) Food, shelter, clothing and employment 229
295-assistance; (2) eviction prevention; (3) an in-depth family needs 230
296-assessment; (4) intensive case management that includes visits to the 231
297-family's home; (5) continuous monitoring for child abuse or neglect; 232
298-and (6) for families at risk of losing benefits under the temporary 233
299-family assistance program, individual performance contracts 234
300-administered by the Labor Department that require job training, job 235
301-searching, volunteer work, participation in parenting programs or 236
302-counseling or any other requirements deemed necessary by the Labor 237
303-Commissioner. 238
304-[(c) Families successfully meeting the program requirements 239
305-established by the individual performance contracts in subdivision (6) 240
306-of subsection (b) of this section prior to the end of the twenty-one-241
307-month time limit shall be considered to have made a good faith effort 242
308-to comply with the requirements of the program for the purposes of 243
309-qualifying for a six-month extension, provided they have made a good 244
310-faith effort to comply with the individual performance contract or have 245
311-not incurred a sanction subsequent to completing the individual 246
312-performance contract.] 247
313-[(d)] (c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement 248
314-policies and procedures necessary for the purposes of this section 249 Bill No. 6629
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274+exhausted their eligibility for temporary family assistance program 217
275+benefits. [; or (4) not be eligible for six-month extensions of temporary 218
276+family assistance benefits due to: (A) The receipt of two sanctions from 219
277+the department during the first twenty months of the twenty-one-month 220
278+time limit of said temporary family assistance program; or (B) the 221
279+determination by the department that such a family has not made a 222
280+good faith effort to seek and maintain employment.] 223
281+(b) Said safety net shall consist of services provided through the 224
282+existing community service delivery network with additional resources 225
283+provided by the Department of Social Services. Services shall be 226
284+provided in-kind or through vendor or voucher payment. Services may 227
285+include the following: (1) Food, shelter, clothing and employment 228
286+assistance; (2) eviction prevention; (3) an in-depth family needs 229
287+assessment; (4) intensive case management that includes visits to the 230
288+family's home; (5) continuous monitoring for child abuse or neglect; and 231
289+(6) for families at risk of losing benefits under the temporary family 232
290+assistance program, individual performance contracts administered by 233
291+the Labor Department that require job training, job searching, volunteer 234
292+work, participation in parenting programs or counseling or any other 235
293+requirements deemed necessary by the Labor Commissioner. 236
294+[(c) Families successfully meeting the program requirements 237
295+established by the individual performance contracts in subdivision (6) 238
296+of subsection (b) of this section prior to the end of the twenty-one-month 239
297+time limit shall be considered to have made a good faith effort to comply 240
298+with the requirements of the program for the purposes of qualifying for 241
299+a six-month extension, provided they have made a good faith effort to 242
300+comply with the individual performance contract or have not incurred 243
301+a sanction subsequent to completing the individual performance 244
302+contract.] 245
303+[(d)] (c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement policies 246
304+and procedures necessary for the purposes of this section while in the 247
305+process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, 248
306+provided the commissioner [prints] posts notice of intention to adopt 249 Raised Bill No. 6629
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320309
321-while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in 250
322-regulation form, provided the commissioner [prints] posts notice of 251
323-intention to adopt the regulations [in the Connecticut Law Journal 252
324-within twenty days of] on the eRegulations System and the 253
325-department's Internet web site not later than twenty days after 254
326-implementing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures 255
327-implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be valid until the time 256
328-final regulations are effective. 257
329-Sec. 4. Subsection (d) of section 17b-112g of the general statutes is 258
330-repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 259
331-1, 2023): 260
332-(d) A family receiving diversion assistance shall be ineligible to 261
333-receive monthly temporary family assistance payments for a period of 262
334-three months from the date of application for temporary family 263
335-assistance, except that such family shall be eligible to receive 264
336-temporary family assistance payments within such period if the 265
337-Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee, in 266
338-the commissioner's sole discretion, determines that the family has 267
339-experienced undue hardship. A family that is subject to the [twenty-268
340-one-month] sixty-month benefit limit under temporary family 269
341-assistance shall have diversion assistance count as three months 270
342-toward such limit. [Nothing in this section shall prohibit a family 271
343-receiving diversion assistance that later qualifies for temporary family 272
344-assistance from qualifying for a six-month extension available to 273
345-recipients of temporary family assistance who did not receive 274
346-diversion assistance.] 275
310+LCO No. 3905 9 of 10
311+
312+the regulations [in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days of] 250
313+on the eRegulations System and the department's Internet web site not 251
314+later than twenty days after implementing such policies and procedures. 252
315+Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection shall 253
316+be valid until the time final regulations are effective. 254
317+Sec. 4. Subsection (d) of section 17b-112g of the general statutes is 255
318+repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 256
319+2023): 257
320+(d) A family receiving diversion assistance shall be ineligible to 258
321+receive monthly temporary family assistance payments for a period of 259
322+three months from the date of application for temporary family 260
323+assistance, except that such family shall be eligible to receive temporary 261
324+family assistance payments within such period if the Commissioner of 262
325+Social Services, or the commissioner's designee, in the commissioner's 263
326+sole discretion, determines that the family has experienced undue 264
327+hardship. A family that is subject to the [twenty-one-month] sixty-265
328+month benefit limit under temporary family assistance shall have 266
329+diversion assistance count as three months toward such limit. [Nothing 267
330+in this section shall prohibit a family receiving diversion assistance that 268
331+later qualifies for temporary family assistance from qualifying for a six-269
332+month extension available to recipients of temporary family assistance 270
333+who did not receive diversion assistance.] 271
347334 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
348335 sections:
349336
350337 Section 1 July 1, 2023 17b-112
351338 Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 17b-112b(a)
352339 Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 17b-112e
353340 Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 17b-112g(d)
354- Bill No. 6629
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356-
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342+Statement of Purpose:
343+To extend the time limit for temporary family assistance to sixty months
344+and to gradually reduce benefits for newly employed beneficiaries to
345+encourage employment. Raised Bill No. 6629
360346
361347
362348
363-HS Joint Favorable C/R APP
349+LCO No. 3905 10 of 10
350+
351+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
352+that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
353+underlined.]
364354