Establishes the mothers and infants lasting change ("MILC") allowance to provide income to eligible participants for the last three months of pregnancy and the first 18 months of the child's life; excludes income received from the MILC allowance for purposes of supplemental nutrition assistance program eligibility.
Requires the office of temporary and disability assistance promulgate regulations and create policies to encourage married adults or two adult households when determining the standard of need for eligibility for public assistance programs; and to exempt certain income and resources for such adults and households.
Directs the department of social services to establish a centralized homelessness crisis response data system through which state agencies, local governmental entities, including law enforcement agencies, court systems, school districts, and emergency service providers, and other relevant persons are able to share and access information related to individuals who experience chronic homelessness in order to connect or refer such individuals to services including affordable housing opportunities.
Relates to defining members of the same family or household for purposes of family offenses; includes persons who: are related to a child in common or to a person in an intimate relationship; and are currently living together in a family-type relationship or formerly lived together in a family-type relationship.
Extends the period given to certain applicants for public assistance benefits to request a fair hearing on a determination of their ability to participate in work activities from ten days to sixty days or within sixty days of receipt of a work activity assignment.
Establishes the housing people and animals together grant program to expand access for co-sheltering people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence with companion animals.
Relates to the focus of the child care availability task force; extends the date for reporting the findings and recommendations of such task force; extends the effectiveness thereof.
Establishes an emergency heating energy assistance program benefit to provide emergency assistance to certain households where such household is threatened with shut-off or an energy emergency due to nonpayment.
Allows college coursework to be credited as a work activity which may be used toward fulfilling the employment requirements for public assistance benefits under certain conditions.
Removes references to the number of hours of care provided by a caregiver each week from the definition of caregiver for purposes of authorizing criminal history checks.