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46 | 37 | | |
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47 | 38 | | An Act relating to the Temporary Assistance for Needy |
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48 | 39 | | Families (TANF) program ; amending 56 O.S. 2011, |
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49 | 40 | | Section 230.52, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 263, |
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50 | 41 | | O.S.L. 2012 (56 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 230.52) , |
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51 | 42 | | which relates to minimum requirements; amending 56 |
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52 | 43 | | O.S. 2011, Section 230.53 , which relates to e xclusion |
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53 | 44 | | of automobile from determination of applican t’s |
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54 | 45 | | resources; increasing amount of excluded equity |
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55 | 46 | | allowance; and declaring an emergency . |
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56 | 47 | | |
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57 | 48 | | |
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58 | 49 | | |
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59 | 50 | | |
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60 | 51 | | |
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61 | 52 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF TH E STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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62 | 53 | | SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2011, Section 230.52, as |
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63 | 54 | | amended by Section 1, Chapter 263, O.S.L. 2012 (56 O.S. Supp. 2020, |
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64 | 55 | | Section 230.52), is amended to read as follows: |
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65 | 56 | | Section 230.52. A. Except for specific exceptions, conditions |
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66 | 57 | | or restrictions authorized by the Statewide Tempo rary Assistance |
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67 | 58 | | Responsibility System (STARS ) and rules promulgated by the |
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68 | 59 | | Commission for Director of Human Services pursuant thereto, the |
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100 | 90 | | subject to the exemptions allowed by federal law. C hild-only cases |
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101 | 91 | | are not subject to the five -year limitation; |
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102 | 92 | | 2. Single parents receiving temporary assistance pursuant to |
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103 | 93 | | the TANF program shall participate in work activities fo r a minimum |
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104 | 94 | | of twenty (20) hours per week during the month. Two -parent families |
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105 | 95 | | receiving temporary assistance pursuant to the TANF program shall |
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106 | 96 | | participate in work activities for a minimum of thir ty-five (35) |
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107 | 97 | | hours per week during the month; |
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108 | 98 | | 3. A recipient must be engaged in one or more of the work |
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109 | 99 | | activities set out in paragra ph 4 of this subsection as soon as |
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110 | 100 | | required by the Department of Human Service s pursuant to the TANF |
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111 | 101 | | program, but not late r than twenty-four (24) months after |
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112 | 102 | | certification of the application for assistance, unless the person |
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113 | 103 | | is exempt from work requiremen ts under rules promulgated by the |
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114 | 104 | | Commission Director pursuant to the STARS; |
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115 | 105 | | 4. The Department shall develop and describe categories of |
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116 | 106 | | approved work activities for the TANF prog ram recipients in |
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117 | 107 | | accordance with this paragraph. Work activities that qualify in |
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118 | 108 | | meeting the requirements include, but are not limited to: |
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151 | 140 | | a private not-for-profit enterprise that is |
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152 | 141 | | directly supplemented by federal or state funds. |
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153 | 142 | | Prior to receiving any subsidy o r incentive, the |
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154 | 143 | | employer shall enter into a written contract with |
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155 | 144 | | the Department, and |
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156 | 145 | | (3) subsidized public sector employment which is |
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157 | 146 | | employment by an agency of a federal, state, or |
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158 | 147 | | local governmental entity which is directly |
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159 | 148 | | supplemented by federal or s tate funds. Prior to |
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160 | 149 | | receiving any subsidy or incentive, the employer |
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161 | 150 | | shall enter into a written contract with the |
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162 | 151 | | Department. |
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163 | 152 | | Subsidized hourly employmen t or unsubsidized hourly |
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164 | 153 | | employment pursuant to this subparagraph shall only be |
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165 | 154 | | approved by the Depar tment as work activity if such |
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166 | 155 | | employment is subject to: |
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167 | 156 | | (a) the federal minimum wage requirements |
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168 | 157 | | pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of |
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169 | 158 | | 1938, as amended, |
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201 | 189 | | of 1970 and rules promulgated by the State |
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202 | 190 | | Department of Labor pursuant thereto, |
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203 | 191 | | b. a program of work exp erience, |
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204 | 192 | | c. on-the-job training, |
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205 | 193 | | d. assisted job search which may include supervised or |
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206 | 194 | | unsupervised job-seeking activities, |
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207 | 195 | | e. job readiness assistance which may include, but is not |
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208 | 196 | | limited to: |
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209 | 197 | | (1) orientation in the work environment and basic |
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210 | 198 | | job-seeking and job retention skills, |
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211 | 199 | | (2) instruction in completing an application for |
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212 | 200 | | employment and writing a resume, and |
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213 | 201 | | (3) instruction in conducting oneself during a job |
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214 | 202 | | interview, including appropriate dress, |
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215 | 203 | | f. job skills training which is directly related to |
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216 | 204 | | employment in a specific occupation for whic h there is |
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217 | 205 | | a written commitment by an employer to offer |
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218 | 206 | | employment to a recipient who successfully completes |
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219 | 207 | | the training. Job skills training includes, but is |
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220 | 208 | | not limited to, customized training designed to mee t |
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252 | 239 | | or private sector empl oyment is not available. Such |
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253 | 240 | | activities are linked to both educatio n or training |
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254 | 241 | | and activities that substantia lly enhance a |
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255 | 242 | | recipient’s employability, |
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256 | 243 | | h. literacy and adult basic education programs, |
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257 | 244 | | i. vocational-educational programs, not to exceed twel ve |
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258 | 245 | | (12) months for any individual, which are directed |
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259 | 246 | | toward vocational-educational training and education |
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260 | 247 | | directly related to employment, |
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261 | 248 | | j. education programs which are directly related to |
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262 | 249 | | specific employment opportunities, if a recipient has |
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263 | 250 | | not received a high school diploma or General |
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264 | 251 | | Equivalency Degree, and |
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265 | 252 | | k. child care for other STARS recipients. The recipie nt |
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266 | 253 | | must meet training and licensing requirements for |
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267 | 254 | | child care providers as required by the Oklahoma Child |
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268 | 255 | | Care Facilities Licensing Act; |
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269 | 256 | | 5. Single, custodial parents with a child up to one (1) year of |
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270 | 257 | | age may be exempt from work activities for a lifetim e total |
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271 | 258 | | exemption of twelve (12) months; |
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302 | 288 | | 7. For single-parent families, except for teen parents, |
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303 | 289 | | educational activiti es, other than vocational-technical training, do |
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304 | 290 | | not count toward meeting the required twenty (20) hours of work |
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305 | 291 | | activity. For two-parent families, educat ional activities, except |
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306 | 292 | | vocational-technical training, do not count toward meeting the |
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307 | 293 | | required thirty-five (35) hours of work activity; |
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308 | 294 | | 8. A teen parent must live at home or in an appr oved, adult- |
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309 | 295 | | supervised setting as specified in Section 230.55 of this title to |
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310 | 296 | | receive TANF assistance; |
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311 | 297 | | 9. A recipient must comply with immunization requirements |
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312 | 298 | | established pursuant to the TANF program; |
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313 | 299 | | 10. A recipient shall be subject to the increment in benefits |
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314 | 300 | | for additional children established by Section 230.58 of this title; |
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315 | 301 | | 11. The following recipient res ources are exempt from resource |
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316 | 302 | | determination criteria: |
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317 | 303 | | a. an automobile with an equity allowance of not more |
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318 | 304 | | than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,00 0.00) Ten Thousand |
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319 | 305 | | Dollars ($10,000.00) pursuant to Section 230.53 of |
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320 | 306 | | this title, |
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321 | 307 | | b. individual development accou nts established pursuant |
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322 | 308 | | to the Family Savings Initiative Act, or individual |
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352 | 337 | | this title in an amount not to exceed Two Thousand |
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353 | 338 | | Dollars ($2,000.00), |
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354 | 339 | | c. the equity value of funeral arrangements owned by a |
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355 | 340 | | recipient that does not exceed the limitation |
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356 | 341 | | specified by Section 165 of this title, and |
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357 | 342 | | d. earned income disregards not to exceed One Hundred |
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358 | 343 | | Twenty Dollars ($120.00) and one-half (1/2) of the |
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359 | 344 | | remainder of the earned income; |
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360 | 345 | | 12. An applicant who applies and is otherwise eligible to |
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361 | 346 | | receive TANF benefits but who has resided in this state less than |
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362 | 347 | | twelve (12) months shall be subject to Section 230.57 of thi s title; |
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363 | 348 | | 13. The recipient shall enter into a personal responsibility |
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364 | 349 | | agreement with the Department for receipt of assistance pursuant to |
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365 | 350 | | Section 230.65 of this title; |
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366 | 351 | | 14. The Department shall, beginning November 1, 201 2, screen |
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367 | 352 | | all adult applicants for TANF to determine if they are engaged in |
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368 | 353 | | the illegal use of a controlled substance or substances. If the |
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369 | 354 | | Department has made a determination that the applicant is engaged in |
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370 | 355 | | the illegal use of a controlled substance or s ubstances, the |
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371 | 356 | | applicant’s request for TANF cash benefits shall be denied. The |
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372 | 357 | | Commission for Human Services Director shall adopt rules to |
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402 | 386 | | a. the Department shall create a controlled subst ance |
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403 | 387 | | screening process to be administered at the time of |
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404 | 388 | | application. The process shall, at a minimum, include |
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405 | 389 | | a Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) |
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406 | 390 | | or other similar screening methods. If necessary to |
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407 | 391 | | establish a reasonable expectation of certainty, the |
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408 | 392 | | Department is authorized to use further screening |
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409 | 393 | | methods, which may include, but are not limited to, a |
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410 | 394 | | clinical interview, consideration of the Department ’s |
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411 | 395 | | history with the applicant, and an Addictions Severity |
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412 | 396 | | Index (ASI). If the Departm ent has reasonable cause |
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413 | 397 | | to believe that the applicant is engaged in t he |
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414 | 398 | | illegal use of a controlled substance or substances, |
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415 | 399 | | the Department is authorized, though not required, to |
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416 | 400 | | request administration of a chemical drug test, such |
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417 | 401 | | as urinalysis. The cos t of all such initial |
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418 | 402 | | screenings shall not be borne by the applicant, |
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419 | 403 | | b. if at any time during the controlled substance |
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420 | 404 | | screening process, the applicant refuses to |
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421 | 405 | | participate, that refusal shall lead to a denial of |
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422 | 406 | | TANF benefits, |
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453 | 436 | | controlled substance or substances, the applicant ’s |
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454 | 437 | | request for TANF cash benefits shall be denied, |
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455 | 438 | | subject to the following: |
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456 | 439 | | (1) if there has not already be en a chemical drug |
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457 | 440 | | test administered as part of the controlled |
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458 | 441 | | substance screening process, the appli cant may |
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459 | 442 | | submit proof of a negative chemical drug test |
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460 | 443 | | from a state certified laboratory to challenge |
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461 | 444 | | the Department’s finding that the applicant is |
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462 | 445 | | engaged in the illegal use of a controlled |
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463 | 446 | | substance or substances. Proof of the chemical |
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464 | 447 | | drug test must be submitted to the Department no |
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465 | 448 | | later than the tenth calendar day following |
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466 | 449 | | denial. If denial is communicated by mail, the |
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467 | 450 | | ten (10) day window begins on the day after the |
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468 | 451 | | date of mailing of the den ial notice to the |
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469 | 452 | | applicant’s last-known address. The de nial |
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470 | 453 | | notice is considered to be mailed on the date |
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471 | 454 | | that appears on the notice, unless otherwise |
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472 | 455 | | indicated by the facts, |
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504 | 486 | | (a) if the applicant is denied due to the |
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505 | 487 | | provisions of this paragraph, the Department |
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506 | 488 | | shall provide a list of subst ance abuse |
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507 | 489 | | treatment programs to the denied applicant, |
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508 | 490 | | (b) if an applicant has successfully complied |
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509 | 491 | | with a recommended substan ce abuse treatment |
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510 | 492 | | program after the date of denial, the |
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511 | 493 | | applicant may be approved for cash benefits |
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512 | 494 | | after six (6) months have pa ssed since the |
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513 | 495 | | date of denial, rather than the required one |
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514 | 496 | | (1) year, and |
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515 | 497 | | (3) if an applicant has been denied TANF cash |
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516 | 498 | | benefits two times due to the provisions of this |
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517 | 499 | | subparagraph, the applicant shall be ineligible |
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518 | 500 | | for TANF benefits for a period of three (3) years |
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519 | 501 | | from the date of the second denial, |
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520 | 502 | | d. child-only cases and minor parents under eighteen (18) |
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521 | 503 | | years of age are not s ubject to the provisions of this |
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522 | 504 | | paragraph, and |
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555 | 536 | | still eligible shall not be affected and may be |
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556 | 537 | | received and administer ed by an appropriate third |
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557 | 538 | | party approved by the Department for the be nefit of |
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558 | 539 | | the members of the household; |
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559 | 540 | | 15. a. As a condition of participating in the STARS, all |
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560 | 541 | | recipients are deemed to have given authorization for |
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561 | 542 | | the release of any and all informat ion necessary to |
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562 | 543 | | allow all state and federal agencies to meet the |
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563 | 544 | | program needs of the recipient. |
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564 | 545 | | b. The recipient shall be pro vided a release form to sign |
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565 | 546 | | in order to obtain the required information. Failure |
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566 | 547 | | to sign the release form may result in case cl osure; |
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567 | 548 | | and |
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568 | 549 | | 16. The recipient shall comply with all other conditions a nd |
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569 | 550 | | requirements of the STARS, and rules of the Commission Director |
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570 | 551 | | promulgated pursuant thereto. |
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571 | 552 | | B. 1. Agencies of this state involved in providing services to |
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572 | 553 | | recipients pursuant to the STARS shall exchange information as |
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573 | 554 | | necessary for each agency to ac complish objectives and fulfill |
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606 | 586 | | with any confidentiality provisions applicable to the agency |
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607 | 587 | | originating the information. |
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608 | 588 | | 3. The various agencies of the state shall execute operating |
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609 | 589 | | agreements to facilitate information exchanges pursuant to t he |
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610 | 590 | | STARS. |
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611 | 591 | | C. In implementing the TANF program, the Depar tment shall: |
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612 | 592 | | 1. Provide assistance to aliens pursuant to Section 230.73 of |
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613 | 593 | | this title; |
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614 | 594 | | 2. Provide for the closure of the TANF case when the adult |
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615 | 595 | | recipient refuses to cooperate with agreed upon work activities or |
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616 | 596 | | other case requirements pursuant to the T ANF program; |
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617 | 597 | | 3. Provide for the sanctioning of parents who do not require |
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618 | 598 | | their minor children to attend school; and |
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619 | 599 | | 4. Deny temporary a ssistance to fugitive felons. |
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620 | 600 | | D. In order to ensure that the needy citizens of this state are |
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621 | 601 | | receiving necessary ben efits, the Department shall maintain a |
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622 | 602 | | listing of all recipients receiving public assistance. The listing |
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623 | 603 | | shall reflect each recipient ’s income, social security number, and |
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624 | 604 | | the programs in which the recipient is participating including, but |
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656 | 635 | | SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2011, Section 230.53, is |
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657 | 636 | | amended to read as follows: |
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658 | 637 | | Section 230.53. The Department of Human Servic es shall exclude |
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659 | 638 | | an automobile with an equity all owance of not more than Five |
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660 | 639 | | Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) from |
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661 | 640 | | the determination of resources available to meet the needs of an |
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662 | 641 | | applicant for or recipient of benefits under the Temporary |
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663 | 642 | | Assistance for Needy Families (TANF ) program. |
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664 | 643 | | SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the p reservation |
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665 | 644 | | of the public peace, health or safety, an eme rgency is hereby |
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666 | 645 | | declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall ta ke effect and |
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667 | 646 | | be in full force from and after its passage and approval. |
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