New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SB189 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	SENATE BILL 189
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
31	31	-
32	32
33	33	STATE
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35	35	OF
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37	37	NEW
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39	39	MEXICO
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41	41	-
42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
44	44
45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics and Linda Serrato
48	48	and Linda M. Trujillo and Carrie Hamblen
49	49	AN ACT
50	50	RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC
51	51	ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
53	53	SECTION 1. Section 27-2B-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1998,
54	54	Chapter 8, Section 4 and Laws 1998, Chapter 9, Section 4, as
55	55	amended) is amended to read:
56	56	"27-2B-4. APPLICATION--RESOURCE PLANNING SESSION--
57	57	INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY PLANS--PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT--
58	58	REVIEW PERIODS.--
59	59	A. Application for cash assistance or services
60	60	shall be made to the department. The application shall be in
61	61	writing or reduced to writing in the manner and on the form
62	62	prescribed by the department. The application shall be made
63	63	under oath by an applicant having custody of or residing with a
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91	91	dependent child who is a benefit group member and shall contain
92	92	a statement of the age of the child, residence, a complete
93	93	statement of the amount of property in which the applicant has
94	94	an interest, a statement of all income that the applicant and
95	95	other benefit group members have at the time of the filing of
96	96	the application and other information required by the
97	97	department.
98	98	B. The department shall assist an applicant in
99	99	completing the application for cash assistance or services and
100	100	shall evaluate an applicant to determine eligibility for all
101	101	department programs for which the applicant is eligible. The
102	102	department shall process all expedited [food stamp ]
103	103	supplemental nutrition assistance program benefit applications
104	104	within two business days of submission, and the department
105	105	shall deliver expedited [food stamps ] supplemental nutrition
106	106	assistance program benefits to an eligible applicant within
107	107	seven days of the application.
108	108	C. At the time of application for cash assistance
109	109	and services, an applicant and the department shall identify
110	110	everyone who is to be counted in the benefit group. Once an
111	111	application is approved, the participant shall advise the
112	112	department if there are any changes in the membership of the
113	113	benefit group.
114	114	D. No later than thirty days after an application
115	115	is filed, the department shall provide to an applicant a
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144	144	resource planning session to ascertain the applicant's
145	145	immediate needs, assess financial and nonfinancial options,
146	146	make referrals and act on the application.
147	147	E. No later than five days after an application is
148	148	approved, the department shall provide reimbursement for child
149	149	care.
150	150	F. Whenever the department receives an application
151	151	for assistance, a verification and record of the applicant's
152	152	circumstances shall promptly be made to ascertain the facts
153	153	supporting the application and to obtain other information
154	154	required by the department. The verification may include a
155	155	visit to the home of the applicant, as long as the department
156	156	gives adequate prior notice of the visit to the applicant.
157	157	G. No later than fifteen days after an application
158	158	is approved, the department shall assess the education, skills,
159	159	prior work experience and employability of the participant.
160	160	H. After the initial assessment of skills, the
161	161	department shall work with the participant to develop an
162	162	individual responsibility plan that:
163	163	(1) sets forth an employment goal for the
164	164	participant and a plan for moving the participant into
165	165	employment;
166	166	(2) sets forth obligations of the participant
167	167	that may include a requirement that the participant attend
168	168	school, maintain certain grades and attendance, keep the
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197	197	participant's school-age children in school, immunize the
198	198	participant's children or engage in other activities that will
199	199	help the participant become and remain employed;
200	200	(3) is designed to the greatest extent
201	201	possible to move the participant into whatever employment the
202	202	participant is capable of handling and to provide additional
203	203	services as necessary to increase the responsibility and amount
204	204	of work the participant will handle over time;
205	205	(4) describes the services the department may
206	206	provide so that the participant may obtain and keep employment;
207	207	and
208	208	(5) may require the participant to participate
209	209	in appropriate services, such as substance abuse, domestic
210	210	violence or mental health services.
211	211	I. The participant and the department shall sign
212	212	the participant's individual responsibility plan. The
213	213	department shall not allow a participant to decline to
214	214	participate in developing an individual responsibility plan.
215	215	The department shall not waive the requirement that a
216	216	participant develop an individual responsibility plan. The
217	217	department shall emphasize the importance of the individual
218	218	responsibility plan to the participant.
219	219	J. If a participant does not develop an individual
220	220	responsibility plan, refuses to sign an individual
221	221	responsibility plan or refuses to attend semiannual reviews of
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250	250	an individual responsibility plan, the participant shall be
251	251	required to enter into a conciliation process pursuant to
252	252	Subsection C of Section 27-2B-14 NMSA 1978. If the participant
253	253	persists in noncompliance with the individual responsibility
254	254	plan process after the conciliation process, the participant
255	255	shall be subject to sanctions pursuant to Section 27-2B-14 NMSA
256	256	1978.
257	257	K. The participant shall also sign a participation
258	258	agreement that designates the number of hours that the
259	259	participant must participate in work activities to meet
260	260	participation standards.
261	261	L. The department shall review the current
262	262	financial eligibility of a benefit group when the department
263	263	reviews [food stamp] supplemental nutrition assistance program
264	264	eligibility.
265	265	M. The department shall meet semiannually with a
266	266	participant to review and revise the participant's individual
267	267	responsibility plan.
268	268	N. The department shall develop a complaint
269	269	procedure to address issues pertinent to the delivery of
270	270	services and other issues relating to a participant's
271	271	individual responsibility plan."
272	272	SECTION 2. Section 27-2B-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1998,
273	273	Chapter 8, Section 7 and Laws 1998, Chapter 9, Section 7, as
274	274	amended) is amended to read:
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303	303	"27-2B-7. FINANCIAL STANDARD OF NEED.--
304	304	A. The secretary shall adopt a financial standard
305	305	of need based upon the availability of federal and state funds
306	306	and based upon appropriations by the legislature of the
307	307	available federal temporary assistance for needy families grant
308	308	made pursuant to the federal act in the following categories:
309	309	(1) cash assistance;
310	310	(2) child care services;
311	311	(3) other services; and
312	312	(4) administrative costs.
313	313	The legislature shall determine the actual percentage of
314	314	each category to be used annually of the federal temporary
315	315	assistance for needy families grant made pursuant to the
316	316	federal act. Within the New Mexico works program, the
317	317	department may provide cash assistance or services to specific
318	318	categories of benefit groups from general funds appropriated to
319	319	cash assistance or services. The department may exclude these
320	320	funds from temporary assistance for needy families maintenance
321	321	of effort. The department shall identify alternative state
322	322	spending to claim as maintenance of effort and make necessary
323	323	arrangements to allow reporting of that spending.
324	324	B. The following income sources are exempt from the
325	325	gross income test, the net income test and the cash payment
326	326	calculation:
327	327	(1) medicaid;
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356	356	(2) [food stamps] supplemental nutrition
357	357	assistance program benefits ;
358	358	(3) government-subsidized foster care payments
359	359	if the child for whom the payment is received is also excluded
360	360	from the benefit group;
361	361	(4) supplemental security income;
362	362	(5) government-subsidized housing or housing
363	363	payments;
364	364	(6) federally excluded income;
365	365	(7) educational payments made directly to an
366	366	educational institution;
367	367	(8) government-subsidized child care;
368	368	(9) earned income that belongs to a person
369	369	seventeen years of age or younger who is not the head of
370	370	household;
371	371	(10) child support passed through to the
372	372	participant by the child support enforcement division of the
373	373	department in the following amounts:
374	374	(a) fifty dollars ($50.00) per month
375	375	through December 31, 2008; and
376	376	(b) no later than January 1, 2009, a
377	377	minimum of one hundred dollars ($100) for one child and two
378	378	hundred dollars ($200) for two or more children as based on the
379	379	availability of state or federal funds;
380	380	(11) earned income deposited in an individual
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409	409	development account by a member of the benefit group or money
410	410	received as matching funds for allowable uses by the owner of
411	411	the individual development account pursuant to the Individual
412	412	Development Account Act; and
413	413	(12) other income sources as determined by the
414	414	department.
415	415	C. The total countable gross earned and unearned
416	416	income of the benefit group cannot exceed [eighty-five percent
417	417	of] the federal poverty guidelines as adjusted by the
418	418	department for the size of the benefit group.
419	419	D. For a benefit group to be eligible to
420	420	participate:
421	421	(1) [gross countable income that belongs to
422	422	the benefit group must not exceed eighty-five percent of the
423	423	federal poverty guidelines ] the total countable gross earned
424	424	and unearned income of the benefit group cannot exceed the
425	425	federal poverty guidelines as adjusted by the department for
426	426	the size of the benefit group; and
427	427	(2) net countable income that belongs to the
428	428	benefit group must not equal or exceed the financial standard
429	429	of need after applying the disregards set out in Paragraphs (1)
430	430	through (4) of Subsection E of this section.
431	431	E. Subject to the availability of state and federal
432	432	funds, the department shall determine the cash payment of the
433	433	benefit group by applying the following disregards to the
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462	462	benefit group's earned income and then subtracting that amount
463	463	from the benefit group's financial standard of need:
464	464	(1) no less than one hundred twenty-five
465	465	dollars ($125) of monthly earned income and one-half of the
466	466	remainder, or for a two-parent family, no less than two hundred
467	467	twenty-five dollars ($225) of monthly earned income and one-
468	468	half of the remainder for each parent;
469	469	(2) monthly payments made for child care at a
470	470	maximum of two hundred dollars ($200) for a child under two
471	471	years of age and at a maximum of one hundred seventy-five
472	472	dollars ($175) for a child two years of age or older;
473	473	(3) costs of self-employment income; and
474	474	(4) business expenses.
475	475	F. In addition to the disregards specified in
476	476	Subsection E of this section, and between June 28, 2007 and
477	477	June 30, 2008, or until implementation of the employment
478	478	retention and advancement bonus program described in Subsection
479	479	G of this section, the department shall apply the following
480	480	income disregards to the benefit group's earned income and then
481	481	subtract that amount from the benefit group's financial
482	482	standard of need:
483	483	(1) for the first two years of receiving cash
484	484	assistance or services, if a participant works over the work
485	485	requirement rate set by the department pursuant to the New
486	486	Mexico Works Act, one hundred percent of the income earned by
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515	515	the participant beyond that rate; and
516	516	(2) for the first two years of receiving cash
517	517	assistance or services, for a two-parent benefit group in which
518	518	one parent works more than thirty-five hours per week and the
519	519	other works more than twenty-four hours per week, one hundred
520	520	percent of income earned by each participant beyond the work
521	521	requirement rate set by the department.
522	522	G. No later than July 1, 2008, New Mexico
523	523	employment incentives shall be as follows:
524	524	(1) the department shall implement an
525	525	employment retention and advancement bonus program based on
526	526	availability of state or federal funds that includes financial
527	527	incentives to encourage a participant to:
528	528	(a) leave the New Mexico works program
529	529	and move into an employment retention and advancement bonus
530	530	incentive program;
531	531	(b) maintain a minimum of thirty hours
532	532	per week employment; and
533	533	(c) leave the employment retention and
534	534	advancement bonus incentive program due to increased earnings
535	535	above the income eligibility standard and continue employment;
536	536	(2) the employment retention and advancement
537	537	bonus incentive program shall provide a cash bonus and
538	538	employment services to a former participant who, upon
539	539	application:
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568	568	(a) is currently engaged in paid work
569	569	for a minimum of thirty hours per week;
570	570	(b) has received cash assistance for at
571	571	least three months and one of the last three months;
572	572	(c) has had a gross income of less than
573	573	one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty guidelines;
574	574	and
575	575	(d) has participated in the employment
576	576	retention and advancement bonus incentive program for no longer
577	577	than eighteen months;
578	578	(3) for continued eligibility in the
579	579	employment retention and advancement bonus incentive program, a
580	580	participant shall:
581	581	(a) be engaged in paid work for thirty
582	582	hours per week for at least one of the past three months;
583	583	(b) be engaged in paid work for thirty
584	584	hours per week for at least four of the past six months;
585	585	(c) have had gross income less than one
586	586	hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and
587	587	(d) have participated in the program no
588	588	more than eighteen months;
589	589	(4) the department shall provide employment
590	590	services to assist participants in gaining access to available
591	591	work supports, maintain employment and advance to higher-paying
592	592	employment; and
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621	621	(5) the department shall:
622	622	(a) establish the amount of bonus to be
623	623	paid to participants in the employment retention and
624	624	advancement bonus program based on availability of state and
625	625	federal funds;
626	626	(b) propose rules to implement the
627	627	employment retention and advancement bonus incentive program of
628	628	this subsection no later than January 1, 2008; and
629	629	(c) begin implementation of the
630	630	employment retention and advancement bonus incentive program of
631	631	this subsection no later than July 1, 2008.
632	632	H. The department may recover overpayments of cash
633	633	assistance on a monthly basis not to exceed fifteen percent of
634	634	the financial standard of need applicable to the benefit group.
635	635	I. Based upon the availability of funds and in
636	636	accordance with the federal act, the secretary may establish a
637	637	separate temporary assistance for needy families cash
638	638	assistance program that may waive certain New Mexico Works Act
639	639	requirements due to a specific situation.
640	640	J. Subject to the availability of state and federal
641	641	funds, the department may limit the eligibility of benefit
642	642	groups that are eligible because a legal guardian is not
643	643	included in the benefit group."
644	644	SECTION 3. Section 27-2B-8 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1998,
645	645	Chapter 8, Section 8 and Laws 1998, Chapter 9, Section 8, as
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674	674	amended) is amended to read:
675	675	"27-2B-8. RESOURCES.--
676	676	A. Liquid and nonliquid resources owned by the
677	677	benefit group shall be counted in the eligibility
678	678	determination.
679	679	B. A benefit group may at a maximum own the
680	680	following resources:
681	681	(1) [two thousand dollars ($2,000) ] fifteen
682	682	thousand dollars ($15,000) in nonliquid resources;
683	683	(2) [one thousand five hundred dollars
684	684	($1,500)] fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in liquid
685	685	resources, excluding funds deposited in an individual
686	686	development account established pursuant to the Individual
687	687	Development Account Act or a qualified tuition program, as
688	688	defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
689	689	(3) the value of the principal residence of
690	690	the participant;
691	691	(4) the value of burial plots and funeral
692	692	contracts for family members; and
693	693	(5) the value of work-related equipment up to
694	694	one thousand dollars ($1,000).
695	695	C. Vehicles owned by the benefit group shall not be
696	696	considered in the determination of resources attributed to the
697	697	benefit group."
698	698	SECTION 4. Section 27-2B-14 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1998,
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727	727	Chapter 8, Section 14 and Laws 1998, Chapter 9, Section 14, as
728	728	amended by Laws 2003, Chapter 311, Section 5 and Laws 2003,
729	729	Chapter 432, Section 5) is amended to read:
730	730	"27-2B-14. SANCTIONS.--
731	731	A. The department shall sanction a member of a
732	732	benefit group for noncompliance with work requirements or child
733	733	support requirements.
734	734	B. The sanction shall be applied at the following
735	735	levels:
736	736	(1) twenty-five percent reduction of cash
737	737	assistance for the first occurrence of noncompliance;
738	738	(2) fifty percent reduction of cash assistance
739	739	for the second occurrence of noncompliance; and
740	740	(3) [termination of cash assistance and
741	741	ineligibility to reapply for six months ] for the third
742	742	occurrence of noncompliance, the adult household member who
743	743	failed to comply shall be removed from the benefit group for up
744	744	to three months or until the adult household member complies.
745	745	If the adult household member does not comply by the end of the
746	746	third month, the cash assistance shall terminate for the entire
747	747	household until the adult household member complies .
748	748	C. Prior to imposing [the first ] any new sanction,
749	749	if the department determines that a participant is not
750	750	complying with the work participation requirement or child
751	751	support requirements, the participant shall be required to
752	752	.229522.4SA
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780	780	enter into a conciliation process established by the department
781	781	to address the noncompliance and to identify good cause for
782	782	noncompliance or barriers to compliance. For each new instance
783	783	of noncompliance, the conciliation process shall occur [only
784	784	once] prior to the imposition of [the ] a new sanction. The
785	785	participant shall have ten working days from the date a
786	786	conciliation notice is mailed to contact the department to
787	787	initiate the conciliation process. A participant who fails to
788	788	initiate the conciliation process shall have a notice of
789	789	adverse action mailed to [him ] the participant after the tenth
790	790	working day following the date on which the conciliation notice
791	791	is mailed. Participants who begin but do not complete the
792	792	conciliation process shall be mailed a notice of adverse action
793	793	thirty days from the date the original conciliation notice was
794	794	mailed.
795	795	D. Reestablishing compliance shall allow full
796	796	payment to resume.
797	797	E. Noncompliance with reporting requirements may
798	798	subject a participant to other sanctions, except that an adult
799	799	member of the benefit group shall not be sanctioned for the
800	800	failure of a dependent child to attend school.
801	801	F. Effective October 1, 2001, the department shall
802	802	not terminate the medicaid benefits of any member of a benefit
803	803	group due to imposition of a sanction pursuant to the
804	804	provisions of this section."
805	805	.229522.4SA
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833	833	SECTION 5. Section 27-2D-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
834	834	Chapter 317, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:
835	835	"27-2D-3. APPLICATION--RESOURCE PLANNING SESSION--
836	836	INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN--REVIEW PERIODS.--
837	837	A. Application for cash assistance or services
838	838	shall be made to the department. The application shall be in
839	839	writing or reduced to writing in the manner and on the form
840	840	prescribed by the department. The application shall be made
841	841	under oath by an applicant with whom a dependent child resides
842	842	and shall contain a statement of the age of the child,
843	843	residence, a complete statement of the amount of property in
844	844	which the applicant has an interest, a statement of all income
845	845	that the applicant and other benefit group members have at the
846	846	time of the filing of the application and other information
847	847	required by the department.
848	848	B. The department shall assist applicants in
849	849	completing the application for cash assistance or services and
850	850	shall evaluate applicants to determine all department programs
851	851	for which the applicant may be eligible. The department shall
852	852	process all expedited [food stamp ] supplemental nutrition
853	853	assistance program benefit applications within two business
854	854	days of submission, and the department shall deliver expedited
855	855	[food stamps] supplemental nutrition assistance program
856	856	benefits to eligible applicants within seven days of the
857	857	application.
858	858	.229522.4SA
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886	886	C. At the time of application for cash assistance
887	887	and services, an applicant and the department shall identify
888	888	everyone who is to be counted in the benefit group. Once an
889	889	application is approved, the recipient shall advise the
890	890	department if there are any changes in the membership of the
891	891	benefit group.
892	892	D. No later than thirty days after an application
893	893	is filed, the department shall make referrals and act on the
894	894	application.
895	895	E. No later than five days after an application is
896	896	approved, the department shall provide reimbursement for child
897	897	care.
898	898	F. Whenever the department receives an application
899	899	for assistance, a verification and record of the applicant's
900	900	circumstances shall promptly be made to ascertain the facts
901	901	supporting the application and to obtain other information
902	902	required by the department. The verification may include a
903	903	visit to the home of the applicant, as long as the department
904	904	gives adequate prior notice of the visit to the applicant.
905	905	G. The department shall work with the recipient to
906	906	develop an individual educational plan that:
907	907	(1) sets forth the educational goal for the
908	908	recipient, identifies barriers to that goal and identifies the
909	909	steps to be taken by the recipient to achieve that goal;
910	910	(2) describes the services the department may
911	911	.229522.4SA
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939	939	provide so that the recipient may complete the recipient's
940	940	educational goal; and
941	941	(3) provides for meetings with the recipient
942	942	[every six months or] at the end of each academic term to
943	943	review the eligibility of the benefit group and to review and
944	944	revise the recipient's individual education plan.
945	945	H. The recipient and the department shall sign the
946	946	recipient's individual education plan. The department shall:
947	947	(1) not allow a recipient to decline to
948	948	participate in developing an individual education plan;
949	949	(2) not waive the requirement that a recipient
950	950	develop an individual education plan; and
951	951	(3) emphasize the importance of the individual
952	952	education plan to the recipient."
953	953	SECTION 6. Section 27-2D-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
954	954	Chapter 317, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:
955	955	"27-2D-4. EDUCATION WORKS PROGRAM--ELIGIBILITY--
956	956	RESTRICTIONS--REQUIREMENTS.--
957	957	A. A person who is eligible [to] for cash
958	958	assistance can receive education works services [or cash
959	959	assistance] if the person demonstrates that:
960	960	(1) the person:
961	961	(a) does not have a high school diploma
962	962	or high school equivalency and is seeking to obtain one;
963	963	(b) has been accepted or has been
964	964	.229522.4SA
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992	992	determined to be eligible to enroll in a vocational training
993	993	program; or
994	994	(c) has been accepted or has been
995	995	determined to be eligible to enroll in a two- or four-year
996	996	post-secondary or graduate or post-graduate degree program; and
997	997	(2) the diploma, certificate or degree the
998	998	person will receive will increase the person's ability to
999	999	engage in full-time paid employment.
1000	1000	B. A recipient shall not receive cash assistance
1001	1001	funded by the temporary assistance for needy families block
1002	1002	grant during the period in which the recipient is receiving
1003	1003	cash assistance pursuant to the Education Works Act.
1004	1004	C. A recipient shall apply for all financial aid
1005	1005	available from the vocational school or post-secondary,
1006	1006	graduate or post-graduate educational institution that the
1007	1007	recipient attends.
1008	1008	D. During the twenty-four months of participation
1009	1009	in the education works program, a recipient shall engage in at
1010	1010	least twenty hours per week of class time, studying, work,
1011	1011	work-study or volunteering. The department shall assume that a
1012	1012	recipient spends one and one-half hours studying for every hour
1013	1013	of class time.
1014	1014	E. A recipient [may participate in the education
1015	1015	works program for no more than twenty-four months, except that
1016	1016	a recipient may participate in the education works program for
1017	1017	.229522.4SA
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1045	1045	one additional academic term following the twenty-four-month
1046	1046	participation limit, or for two additional academic terms
1047	1047	following the twenty-four-month participation limit at the
1048	1048	discretion of the director, if doing so will result in the
1049	1049	recipient earning a degree ] participating in the education
1050	1050	works program to obtain a:
1051	1051	(1) high school equivalency or diploma may
1052	1052	participate for no more than four months. An additional two
1053	1053	months may be allowed at the discretion of the director, if
1054	1054	doing so will result in the recipient obtaining the high school
1055	1055	equivalency or diploma; or
1056	1056	(2) certification, two-year or four-year
1057	1057	degree may participate for no more than twenty-four months,
1058	1058	except that a recipient may participate in the education works
1059	1059	program for one additional academic term following the twenty-
1060	1060	four-month participation limit at the discretion of the
1061	1061	director, if doing so will result in the recipient earning a
1062	1062	degree.
1063	1063	F. The number of recipients enrolled in the
1064	1064	education works program is limited to the number of recipients
1065	1065	who can be served by the funds available.
1066	1066	G. For purposes of this section, "work" means work-
1067	1067	study, training-related practicums, internships, paid
1068	1068	employment, volunteering or any other activity approved by the
1069	1069	department."
1070	1070	.229522.4SA
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1098	1098	SECTION 7. Section 27-2D-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
1099	1099	Chapter 317, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:
1100	1100	"27-2D-5. FINANCIAL STANDARD OF NEED.--
1101	1101	A. The secretary shall adopt a financial standard
1102	1102	of need based upon the availability of state funds.
1103	1103	B. The following income sources are exempt from the
1104	1104	gross income test, the net income test and the cash payment
1105	1105	calculation:
1106	1106	(1) medicaid;
1107	1107	(2) [food stamps] supplemental nutrition
1108	1108	assistance program benefits ;
1109	1109	(3) government-subsidized foster care payments
1110	1110	if the child for whom the payment is received is also excluded
1111	1111	from the benefit group;
1112	1112	(4) supplemental security income;
1113	1113	(5) government-subsidized housing or housing
1114	1114	payments;
1115	1115	(6) federally excluded income;
1116	1116	(7) educational payments made directly to an
1117	1117	educational institution;
1118	1118	(8) government-subsidized child care;
1119	1119	(9) earned income that belongs to a person
1120	1120	seventeen years of age or younger who is not the head of
1121	1121	household;
1122	1122	(10) child support passed through to the
1123	1123	.229522.4SA
1124	1124	- 21 - underscored material = new
1125	1125	[bracketed material] = delete
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1151	1151	participant by the child support enforcement division of the
1152	1152	department in the following amounts:
1153	1153	(a) fifty dollars ($50.00) per month
1154	1154	through December 31, 2008; and
1155	1155	(b) no later than January 1, 2009, a
1156	1156	minimum of one hundred dollars ($100) for one child and two
1157	1157	hundred dollars ($200) for two or more children as based on
1158	1158	availability of state and federal funds; and
1159	1159	(11) other income sources as determined by the
1160	1160	department.
1161	1161	C. The total countable gross earned and unearned
1162	1162	income of the benefit group shall not exceed [eighty-five
1163	1163	percent of] the federal poverty guidelines as adjusted by the
1164	1164	department for the size of the benefit group.
1165	1165	D. For a benefit group to be eligible to
1166	1166	participate:
1167	1167	(1) the total countable gross earned and
1168	1168	unearned income [that belongs to ] of the benefit group shall
1169	1169	not exceed [eighty-five percent of ] the federal poverty
1170	1170	guidelines as adjusted by the department for the size of the
1171	1171	benefit group; and
1172	1172	(2) earned and unearned income that belongs to
1173	1173	the benefit group shall not equal or exceed the financial
1174	1174	standard of need after applying the disregards set out in
1175	1175	Paragraphs (1) through (4) of Subsection E of this section.
1176	1176	.229522.4SA
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1204	1204	E. Subject to the availability of state funds, the
1205	1205	department shall determine the cash payment of the benefit
1206	1206	group by applying the following disregards to the benefit
1207	1207	group's earned income and then subtracting that amount from the
1208	1208	benefit group's financial standard of need:
1209	1209	(1) no less than one hundred twenty-five
1210	1210	dollars ($125) of monthly earned income and one-half of the
1211	1211	remainder, or for a two-parent family, no less than two hundred
1212	1212	twenty-five dollars ($225) of monthly earned income and one-
1213	1213	half of the remainder for each parent;
1214	1214	(2) monthly payments made for child care at a
1215	1215	maximum of two hundred dollars ($200) for a child under two
1216	1216	years of age and a maximum of one hundred seventy-five dollars
1217	1217	($175) for a child two years of age or older;
1218	1218	(3) costs of self-employment income; and
1219	1219	(4) business expenses.
1220	1220	F. In addition to the disregards specified in
1221	1221	Subsection E of this section, and between June 28, 2007 and
1222	1222	June 30, 2008, or until implementation of the employment
1223	1223	retention and advancement bonus program in the New Mexico Works
1224	1224	Act, the department shall apply the following income disregards
1225	1225	to the benefit group's earned income and then subtract that
1226	1226	amount from the benefit group's financial standard of need:
1227	1227	(1) for the first two years of receiving cash
1228	1228	assistance or services, if a participant works over the work
1229	1229	.229522.4SA
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1257	1257	requirement rate set by the department pursuant to the New
1258	1258	Mexico Works Act, one hundred percent of the income earned by
1259	1259	the participant beyond that rate; and
1260	1260	(2) for the first two years of receiving cash
1261	1261	assistance or services, for a two-parent benefit group in which
1262	1262	one parent works more than thirty-five hours per week and the
1263	1263	other works more than twenty-four hours per week, one hundred
1264	1264	percent of income earned by each participant beyond the work
1265	1265	requirement rate set by the department.
1266	1266	G. The department may recover overpayments of cash
1267	1267	assistance on a monthly basis not to exceed fifteen percent of
1268	1268	the financial standard of need applicable to the benefit group.
1269	1269	H. Subject to the availability of state and federal
1270	1270	funds, the department may limit the eligibility of benefit
1271	1271	groups that are eligible because a legal guardian is not
1272	1272	included in the benefit group."
1273	1273	SECTION 8. Section 27-2D-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
1274	1274	Chapter 317, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:
1275	1275	"27-2D-6. RESOURCES.--
1276	1276	A. Liquid and nonliquid resources owned by the
1277	1277	benefit group shall be counted in the eligibility
1278	1278	determination.
1279	1279	B. A benefit group may at a maximum own the
1280	1280	following resources:
1281	1281	(1) [two thousand dollars ($2,000) ] fifteen
1282	1282	.229522.4SA
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1310	1310	thousand dollars ($15,000) in nonliquid resources;
1311	1311	(2) [one thousand five hundred dollars
1312	1312	($1,500)] fifteen thousand ($15,000) in liquid resources,
1313	1313	excluding funds deposited in an individual development account
1314	1314	established pursuant to the Individual Development Account Act
1315	1315	or a qualified tuition program, as defined in Section 529 of
1316	1316	the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
1317	1317	(3) the value of the principal residence of
1318	1318	the participant;
1319	1319	(4) the value of burial plots and funeral
1320	1320	contracts for family members; and
1321	1321	(5) the value of work-related equipment up to
1322	1322	one thousand dollars ($1,000).
1323	1323	C. Vehicles owned by the benefit group shall not be
1324	1324	considered in the determination of resources attributed to the
1325	1325	benefit group."
1326	1326	SECTION 9. Section 27-2D-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
1327	1327	Chapter 317, Section 9) is amended to read:
1328	1328	"27-2D-9. SATISFACTORY PARTICIPATION.--
1329	1329	A. To maintain satisfactory participation in the
1330	1330	education works program, a recipient shall:
1331	1331	(1) be a full-time student as defined by the
1332	1332	school that the recipient attends if the recipient is attending
1333	1333	a two-year, four-year or post-graduate school program; or
1334	1334	(2) follow the terms agreed upon with a high
1335	1335	.229522.4SA
1336	1336	- 25 - underscored material = new
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1363	1363	school equivalency, technical or vocational training
1364	1364	institution if the recipient is participating in a high school
1365	1365	equivalency, technical or vocational training program .
1366	1366	B. A recipient may demonstrate good cause for
1367	1367	failure to maintain satisfactory participation in the education
1368	1368	works program, and must work with the department to address the
1369	1369	barrier, in any month of participation for the following
1370	1370	reasons:
1371	1371	(1) extended illness or injury of the
1372	1372	recipient;
1373	1373	(2) the recipient is the primary caretaker for
1374	1374	a special needs child or an ill or aging parent; or
1375	1375	(3) the recipient has been assessed to have a
1376	1376	learning disability or a mental or physical health problem.
1377	1377	C. If a recipient falls below the academic standard
1378	1378	of the school in one academic term, [he ] the recipient shall be
1379	1379	placed on probationary status for one academic term to improve
1380	1380	[his] the recipient's grades. If a recipient's overall grade
1381	1381	point average falls below 2.0 based on a four-point system, the
1382	1382	department shall place [him ] the recipient on probation for a
1383	1383	maximum of two academic terms to allow [him ] the recipient to
1384	1384	bring up [his] the recipient's overall grade point average.
1385	1385	D. If a recipient fails to complete necessary
1386	1386	educational requirements, the department shall remove the
1387	1387	recipient from the education works program.
1388	1388	.229522.4SA
1389	1389	- 26 - underscored material = new
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1416	1416	[D.] E. A recipient shall:
1417	1417	(1) attend classes as scheduled and
1418	1418	participate as required by the standard of the school;
1419	1419	(2) report to the department a change that
1420	1420	may affect the benefit group's eligibility for or anything
1421	1421	that may affect the [recipients ] recipient's ability to
1422	1422	participate in the education works program;
1423	1423	(3) provide the department with copies of
1424	1424	any financial aid award letters; and
1425	1425	(4) provide the department with copies of
1426	1426	[his] the recipient's grades as they become available.
1427	1427	[E.] F. If a recipient does not comply with
1428	1428	Subsection C of this section or with the provisions of the
1429	1429	Education Works Act, the department may require the recipient
1430	1430	to apply for public assistance pursuant to the New Mexico
1431	1431	Works Act. This decision shall be made in writing, and the
1432	1432	recipient shall have the opportunity to appeal the decision."
1433	1433	SECTION 10. CONTINGENT EFFECTIVE DATE.--The provisions
1434	1434	of this act become effective upon enactment into law of an
1435	1435	appropriation for expanding eligibility for the public
1436	1436	assistance programs created by the New Mexico Works Act and
1437	1437	the Education Works Act in the General Appropriation Act of
1438	1438	2025, the General Appropriation Act of 2026 or the General
1439	1439	Appropriation Act of 2027. The secretary of health care
1440	1440	authority shall notify the New Mexico compilation commission
1441	1441	.229522.4SA
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1469	1469	and the director of the legislative council service by July
1470	1470	1, 2027 that the authority has received the necessary
1471	1471	appropriation in one of those acts.
1472	1472	- 28 -
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