Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5644 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- H 5644
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7	7	LC000838
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO HUMAN SE RVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Handy, Giraldo, Stewart, Boylan, Cruz, Potter, Slater,
17	17	Diaz, Morales, and Kazarian
18	18	Date Introduced: February 15, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Sections 40-5.2-8, 40-5.2-10, 40-5.2-11 and 40-5.2-12 of the General Laws 1
24	24	in Chapter 40-5.2 entitled "The Rhode Island Works Program" are hereby amended to read as 2
25	25	follows: 3
26	26	40-5.2-8. Definitions. 4
27	27	As used in this chapter, the following terms having the meanings set forth herein, unless 5
28	28	the context in which such terms are used clearly indicates to the contrary: 6
29	29	(1) “Applicant” means a person who has filed a written application for assistance for herself 7
30	30	or himself and her or his dependent child(ren). An applicant may be a parent or non-parent caretaker 8
31	31	relative. 9
32	32	(2) “Assistance” means cash and any other benefits provided pursuant to this chapter. 10
33	33	(3) “Assistance unit” means the assistance-filing unit consisting of the group of persons, 11
34	34	including the dependent child(ren), living together in a single household who must be included in 12
35	35	the application for assistance and in the assistance payment if eligibility is established. An 13
36	36	assistance unit may be the same as a family. 14
37	37	(4) “Benefits” shall mean assistance received pursuant to this chapter. 15
38	38	(5) “Community service programs” means structured programs and activities in which cash 16
39	39	assistance recipients perform work for the direct benefit of the community under the auspices of 17
40	40	public or nonprofit organizations. Community service programs are designed to improve the 18
41	41	employability of recipients not otherwise able to obtain paid employment. 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC000838 - Page 2 of 21
45	45	(6) “Department” means the department of human services. 1
46	46	(7) “Dependent child” means an individual, other than an individual with respect to whom 2
47	47	foster care maintenance payments are made, who is: (i) Under the age of eighteen (18); or (ii) Under 3
48	48	the age of nineteen (19) and a full-time student in a secondary school (or in the equivalent level of 4
49	49	vocational or educational training). 5
50	50	(8) “Director” means the director of the department of human services. 6
51	51	(9) “Earned income” means income in cash or the equivalent received by a person through 7
52	52	the receipt of wages, salary, commissions, or profit from activities in which the person is self-8
53	53	employed or as an employee and before any deductions for taxes. 9
54	54	(10) “Earned income tax credit” means the credit against federal personal income tax 10
55	55	liability under § 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 32, or any successor section, 11
56	56	the advanced payment of the earned income tax credit to an employee under § 3507 of the code, 26 12
57	57	U.S.C. § 3507 [repealed], or any successor section and any refund received as a result of the earned 13
58	58	income tax credit, as well as any refundable state earned income tax credit. 14
59	59	(11) “Education directly related to employment” means education, in the case of a 15
60	60	participant who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency, 16
61	61	related to a specific occupation, job, or job offer. 17
62	62	(12) “Family” means: (i) A pregnant woman person from and including the seventh month 18
63	63	onset of her pregnancy; or (ii) A child and the following eligible persons living in the same 19
64	64	household as the child: (iii) Each biological, adoptive or stepparent of the child, or in the absence 20
65	65	of a parent, any adult relative who is responsible, in fact, for the care of such child; and (iv) The 21
66	66	child’s minor siblings (whether of the whole or half blood); provided, however, that the term 22
67	67	“family” shall not include any person receiving benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 23
68	68	42 U.S.C. § 1381 et seq. A family may be the same as the assistance unit. 24
69	69	(13) “Gross earnings” means earnings from employment and self-employment further 25
70	70	described in the department of human services rules and regulations. 26
71	71	(14) “Individual employment plan” means a written, individualized plan for employment 27
72	72	developed jointly by the applicant and the department of human services that specifies the steps the 28
73	73	participant shall take toward long-term economic independence developed in accordance with § 29
74	74	40-5.2-10(e). A participant must comply with the terms of the individual employment plan as a 30
75	75	condition of eligibility in accordance with § 40-5.2-10(e). 31
76	76	(15) “Job search and job readiness” means the mandatory act of seeking or obtaining 32
77	77	employment by the participant, or the preparation to seek or obtain employment. 33
78	78	In accord with federal requirements, job search activities must be supervised by the 34
79	79
80	80
81	81	LC000838 - Page 3 of 21
82	82	department of labor and training and must be reported to the department of human services in 1
83	83	accordance with TANF work verification requirements. 2
84	84	Except in the context of rehabilitation employment plans, and special services provided by 3
85	85	the department of children, youth and families, job-search and job-readiness activities are limited 4
86	86	to four (4) consecutive weeks, or for a total of six (6) weeks in a twelve-month (12) period, with 5
87	87	limited exceptions as defined by the department. The department of human services, in consultation 6
88	88	with the department of labor and training, shall extend job-search, and job-readiness assistance for 7
89	89	up to twelve (12) weeks in a fiscal year if a state has an unemployment rate at least fifty percent 8
90	90	(50%) greater than the United States unemployment rate if the state meets the definition of a “needy 9
91	91	state” under the contingency fund provisions of federal law. 10
92	92	Preparation to seek employment, or job readiness, may include, but may not be limited to: 11
93	93	the participant obtaining life-skills training; homelessness services; domestic violence services; 12
94	94	special services for families provided by the department of children, youth and families; substance 13
95	95	abuse treatment; mental health treatment; or rehabilitation activities as appropriate for those who 14
96	96	are otherwise employable. The services, treatment, or therapy must be determined to be necessary 15
97	97	and certified by a qualified medical or mental health professional. Intensive work-readiness 16
98	98	services may include: work-based literacy; numeracy; hands-on training; work experience; and case 17
99	99	management services. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to mean that the department of 18
100	100	labor and training shall be the sole provider of job-readiness activities described herein. 19
101	101	(16) “Job skills training directly related to employment” means training or education for 20
102	102	job skills required by an employer to provide an individual with the ability to obtain employment 21
103	103	or to advance or adapt to the changing demands of the workplace. Job skills training directly related 22
104	104	to employment must be supervised on an ongoing basis. 23
105	105	(17) “Minor parent” means a parent under the age of eighteen (18). A minor parent may be 24
106	106	an applicant or recipient with his or her dependent child(ren) in his or her own case or a member 25
107	107	of an assistance unit with his or her dependent child(ren) in a case established by the minor parent’s 26
108	108	parent. 27
109	109	(18) “Net income” means the total gross income of the assistance unit less allowable 28
110	110	disregards and deductions as described in § 40-5.2-10(g). 29
111	111	(19) “On-the-job training” means training in the public or private sector that is given to a 30
112	112	paid employee while he or she is engaged in productive work and that provides knowledge and 31
113	113	skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job. On-the-job training must be 32
114	114	supervised by an employer, work-site sponsor, or other designee of the department of human 33
115	115	services on an ongoing basis. 34
116	116
117	117
118	118	LC000838 - Page 4 of 21
119	119	(20) “Participant” means a person who has been found eligible for assistance in accordance 1
120	120	with this chapter and who must comply with all requirements of this chapter, and has entered into 2
121	121	an individual employment plan. A participant may be a parent or non-parent caretaker relative 3
122	122	included in the cash assistance payment. 4
123	123	(21) “Recipient” means a person who has been found eligible and receives cash assistance 5
124	124	in accordance with this chapter. 6
125	125	(22) “Relative” means a parent, stepparent, grandparent, great grandparent, great-great 7
126	126	grandparent, aunt, great-aunt, great-great aunt, uncle, great-uncle, great-great uncle, sister, brother, 8
127	127	stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, first cousin, first cousin once removed, niece, great-9
128	128	niece, great-great niece, nephew, great-nephew, or great-great nephew. 10
129	129	(23) “Resident” means a person who maintains residence by his or her continuous physical 11
130	130	presence in the state. 12
131	131	(24) “Self-employment income” means the total profit from a business enterprise, farming, 13
132	132	etc., resulting from a comparison of the gross receipts with the business expenses, i.e., expenses 14
133	133	directly related to producing the goods or services and without which the goods or services could 15
134	134	not be produced. However, items such as depreciation, personal business and entertainment 16
135	135	expenses, and personal transportation are not considered business expenses for the purposes of 17
136	136	determining eligibility for cash assistance in accordance with this chapter. 18
137	137	(25) “State” means the state of Rhode Island. 19
138	138	(26) “Subsidized employment” means employment in the private or public sectors for 20
139	139	which the employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of 21
140	140	the wages and costs of employing a recipient. It includes work in which all or a portion of the wages 22
141	141	paid to the recipient are provided to the employer either as a reimbursement for the extra costs of 23
142	142	training or as an incentive to hire the recipient, including, but not limited to, grant diversion. 24
143	143	(27) “Subsidized housing” means housing for a family whose rent is restricted to a 25
144	144	percentage of its income. 26
145	145	(28) “Unsubsidized employment” means full- or part-time employment in the public or 27
146	146	private sector that is not subsidized by TANF or any other public program. 28
147	147	(29) “Vocational educational training” means organized educational programs, not to 29
148	148	exceed twelve (12) months with respect to any participant, that are directly related to the preparation 30
149	149	of participants for employment in current or emerging occupations. Vocational educational training 31
150	150	must be supervised. 32
151	151	(30) “Work activities” mean the specific work requirements that must be defined in the 33
152	152	individual employment plan and must be complied with by the participant as a condition of 34
153	153
154	154
155	155	LC000838 - Page 5 of 21
156	156	eligibility for the receipt of cash assistance for single and two-family (2) households outlined in § 1
157	157	40-5.2-12. 2
158	158	(31) “Work experience” means a work activity that provides a participant with an 3
159	159	opportunity to acquire the general skills, training, knowledge, and work habits necessary to obtain 4
160	160	employment. The purpose of work experience is to improve the employability of those who cannot 5
161	161	find unsubsidized employment. An employer, work site sponsor, and/or other appropriate designee 6
162	162	of the department must supervise this activity. 7
163	163	(32) “Work supplementation,” also known as “grant diversion,” means the use of all or a 8
164	164	portion of a participant’s cash assistance grant and food stamp grant as a wage supplement to an 9
165	165	employer. The supplement shall be limited to a maximum period of twelve (12) months. An 10
166	166	employer must agree to continue the employment of the participant as part of the regular work 11
167	167	force, beyond the supplement period, if the participant demonstrates satisfactory performance. 12
168	168	40-5.2-10. Necessary requirements and conditions. 13
169	169	The following requirements and conditions shall be necessary to establish eligibility for 14
170	170	the program. 15
171	171	(a) Citizenship, alienage, and residency requirements. 16
172	172	(1) A person shall be a resident of the State of Rhode Island. 17
173	173	(2) Effective October 1, 2008, a person shall be a United States citizen, or shall meet the 18
174	174	alienage requirements established in § 402(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 19
175	175	Reconciliation Act of 1996, PRWORA, Pub. L. No. 104-193 and as that section may hereafter be 20
176	176	amended [8 U.S.C. § 1612]; a person who is not a United States citizen and does not meet the 21
177	177	alienage requirements established in PRWORA, as amended, is not eligible for cash assistance in 22
178	178	accordance with this chapter. Provided, however, a person who has been admitted for lawful 23
179	179	permanent residence shall not be subject to a waiting period for benefits for which they are 24
180	180	otherwise eligible under this chapter. 25
181	181	(b) The family/assistance unit must meet any other requirements established by the 26
182	182	department of human services by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the Administrative 27
183	183	Procedures Act, as necessary to promote the purpose and goals of this chapter. 28
184	184	(c) Receipt of cash assistance is conditional upon compliance with all program 29
185	185	requirements. 30
186	186	(d) All individuals domiciled in this state shall be exempt from the application of 31
187	187	subdivision 115(d)(1)(A) of Pub. L. No. 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work 32
188	188	Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, PRWORA [21 U.S.C. § 862a], which makes any 33
189	189	individual ineligible for certain state and federal assistance if that individual has been convicted 34
190	190
191	191
192	192	LC000838 - Page 6 of 21
193	193	under federal or state law of any offense that is classified as a felony by the law of the jurisdiction 1
194	194	and that has as an element the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance as defined 2
195	195	in § 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 802(6)). 3
196	196	(e) Individual employment plan as a condition of eligibility. 4
197	197	(1) Following receipt of an application, the department of human services shall assess the 5
198	198	financial conditions of the family, including the non-parent caretaker relative who is applying for 6
199	199	cash assistance for himself or herself as well as for the minor child(ren), in the context of an 7
200	200	eligibility determination. If a parent or non-parent caretaker relative is unemployed or under-8
201	201	employed, the department shall conduct an initial assessment, taking into account: 9
202	202	(A) The physical capacity, skills, education, work experience, health, safety, family 10
203	203	responsibilities, and place of residence of the individual; and 11
204	204	(B) The child care and supportive services required by the applicant to avail himself or 12
205	205	herself of employment opportunities and/or work readiness programs. 13
206	206	(2) On the basis of this assessment, the department of human services and the department 14
207	207	of labor and training, as appropriate, in consultation with the applicant, shall develop an individual 15
208	208	employment plan for the family that requires the individual to participate in the intensive 16
209	209	employment services. Intensive employment services shall be defined as the work requirement 17
210	210	activities in § 40-5.2-12(g) and (i). 18
211	211	(3) The director, or his or her designee, may assign a case manager to an 19
212	212	applicant/participant, as appropriate. 20
213	213	(4) The department of labor and training and the department of human services in 21
214	214	conjunction with the participant shall develop a revised individual employment plan that shall 22
215	215	identify employment objectives, taking into consideration factors above, and shall include a 23
216	216	strategy for immediate employment and for preparing for, finding, and retaining employment 24
217	217	consistent, to the extent practicable, with the individual’s career objectives. 25
218	218	(5) The individual employment plan must include the provision for the participant to 26
219	219	engage in work requirements as outlined in § 40-5.2-12. 27
220	220	(6)(i) The participant shall attend and participate immediately in intensive assessment and 28
221	221	employment services as the first step in the individual employment plan, unless temporarily exempt 29
222	222	from this requirement in accordance with this chapter. Intensive assessment and employment 30
223	223	services shall be defined as the work requirement activities in § 40-5.2-12(g) and (i). 31
224	224	(ii) Parents under age twenty (20) without a high school diploma or general equivalency 32
225	225	diploma (GED) shall be referred to special teen-parent programs that will provide intensive services 33
226	226	designed to assist teen parents to complete high school education or GED, and to continue approved 34
227	227
228	228
229	229	LC000838 - Page 7 of 21
230	230	work plan activities in accord with Rhode Island works program requirements. 1
231	231	(7) The applicant shall become a participant in accordance with this chapter at the time the 2
232	232	individual employment plan is signed and entered into. 3
233	233	(8) Applicants and participants of the Rhode Island works program shall agree to comply 4
234	234	with the terms of the individual employment plan, and shall cooperate fully with the steps 5
235	235	established in the individual employment plan, including the work requirements. 6
236	236	(9) The department of human services has the authority under the chapter to require 7
237	237	attendance by the applicant/participant, either at the department of human services or at the 8
238	238	department of labor and training, at appointments deemed necessary for the purpose of having the 9
239	239	applicant enter into and become eligible for assistance through the Rhode Island works program. 10
240	240	The appointments include, but are not limited to: the initial interview, orientation and assessment; 11
241	241	job readiness; and job search. Attendance is required as a condition of eligibility for cash assistance 12
242	242	in accordance with rules and regulations established by the department. 13
243	243	(10) As a condition of eligibility for assistance pursuant to this chapter, the 14
244	244	applicant/participant shall be obligated to keep appointments; attend orientation meetings at the 15
245	245	department of human services and/or the Rhode Island department of labor and training; participate 16
246	246	in any initial assessments or appraisals; and comply with all the terms of the individual employment 17
247	247	plan in accordance with department of human services rules and regulations. 18
248	248	(11) A participant, including a parent or non-parent caretaker relative included in the cash 19
249	249	assistance payment, shall not voluntarily quit a job or refuse a job unless there is good cause as 20
250	250	defined in this chapter or the department’s rules and regulations. 21
251	251	(12) A participant who voluntarily quits or refuses a job without good cause, as defined in 22
252	252	§ 40-5.2-12(), while receiving cash assistance in accordance with this chapter, shall be sanctioned 23
253	253	in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department. 24
254	254	(f) Resources. 25
255	255	(1) The family or assistance unit’s countable resources shall be less than the allowable 26
256	256	resource limit established by the department in accordance with this chapter. 27
257	257	(2) No family or assistance unit shall be eligible for assistance payments if the combined 28
258	258	value of its available resources (reduced by any obligations or debts with respect to such resources) 29
259	259	exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000). 30
260	260	(3) For purposes of this subsection, the following shall not be counted as resources of the 31
261	261	family/assistance unit in the determination of eligibility for the works program: 32
262	262	(i) The home owned and occupied by a child, parent, relative, or other individual; 33
263	263	(ii) Real property owned by a husband and wife as tenants by the entirety, if the property 34
264	264
265	265
266	266	LC000838 - Page 8 of 21
267	267	is not the home of the family and if the spouse of the applicant refuses to sell his or her interest in 1
268	268	the property; 2
269	269	(iii) Real property that the family is making a good faith effort to dispose of, however, any 3
270	270	cash assistance payable to the family for any such period shall be conditioned upon such disposal 4
271	271	of the real property within six (6) months of the date of application and any payments of assistance 5
272	272	for that period shall (at the time of disposal) be considered overpayments to the extent that they 6
273	273	would not have occurred at the beginning of the period for which the payments were made. All 7
274	274	overpayments are debts subject to recovery in accordance with the provisions of the chapter; 8
275	275	(iv) Income-producing property other than real estate including, but not limited to, 9
276	276	equipment such as farm tools, carpenter’s tools, and vehicles used in the production of goods or 10
277	277	services that the department determines are necessary for the family to earn a living; 11
278	278	(v) One vehicle for each adult household member, but not to exceed two (2) vehicles per 12
279	279	household, and in addition, a vehicle used primarily for income-producing purposes such as, but 13
280	280	not limited to, a taxi, truck, or fishing boat; a vehicle used as a family’s home; a vehicle that 14
281	281	annually produces income consistent with its fair market value, even if only used on a seasonal 15
282	282	basis; a vehicle necessary to transport a family member with a disability where the vehicle is 16
283	283	specially equipped to meet the specific needs of the person with a disability or if the vehicle is a 17
284	284	special type of vehicle that makes it possible to transport the person with a disability; 18
285	285	(vi) Household furnishings and appliances, clothing, personal effects, and keepsakes of 19
286	286	limited value; 20
287	287	(vii) Burial plots (one for each child, relative, and other individual in the assistance unit) 21
288	288	and funeral arrangements; 22
289	289	(viii) For the month of receipt and the following month, any refund of federal income taxes 23
290	290	made to the family by reason of § 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 32 (relating 24
291	291	to earned income tax credit), and any payment made to the family by an employer under § 3507 of 25
292	292	the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 3507 [repealed] (relating to advance payment of 26
293	293	such earned income credit); 27
294	294	(ix) The resources of any family member receiving supplementary security income 28
295	295	assistance under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.; 29
296	296	(x) Any veteran’s disability pension benefits received as a result of any disability sustained 30
297	297	by the veteran while in the military service. 31
298	298	(g) Income. 32
299	299	(1) Except as otherwise provided for herein, in determining eligibility for and the amount 33
300	300	of cash assistance to which a family is entitled under this chapter, the income of a family includes 34
301	301
302	302
303	303	LC000838 - Page 9 of 21
304	304	all of the money, goods, and services received or actually available to any member of the family. 1
305	305	(2) In determining the eligibility for and the amount of cash assistance to which a 2
306	306	family/assistance unit is entitled under this chapter, income in any month shall not include the first 3
307	307	three hundred dollars ($300) of gross earnings plus fifty percent (50%) of the gross earnings of the 4
308	308	family in excess of three hundred dollars ($300) earned during the month. 5
309	309	(3) The income of a family shall not include: 6
310	310	(i) The first fifty dollars ($50.00) in child support received in any month from each 7
311	311	noncustodial parent of a child plus any arrearages in child support (to the extent of the first fifty 8
312	312	dollars ($50.00) per month multiplied by the number of months in which the support has been in 9
313	313	arrears) that are paid in any month by a noncustodial parent of a child; 10
314	314	(ii) Earned income of any child; 11
315	315	(iii) Income received by a family member who is receiving Supplemental Security Income 12
316	316	(SSI) assistance under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1381 et seq.; 13
317	317	(iv) The value of assistance provided by state or federal government or private agencies to 14
318	318	meet nutritional needs, including: value of USDA-donated foods; value of supplemental food 15
319	319	assistance received under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, and the special food service 16
320	320	program for children under Title VII, nutrition program for the elderly, of the Older Americans Act 17
321	321	of 1965 as amended, and the value of food stamps; 18
322	322	(v) Value of certain assistance provided to undergraduate students, including any grant or 19
323	323	loan for an undergraduate student for educational purposes made or insured under any loan program 20
324	324	administered by the United States Commissioner of Education (or the Rhode Island council on 21
325	325	postsecondary education or the Rhode Island division of higher education assistance); 22
326	326	(vi) Foster care payments; 23
327	327	(vii) Home energy assistance funded by state or federal government or by a nonprofit 24
328	328	organization; 25
329	329	(viii) Payments for supportive services or reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses made 26
330	330	to foster grandparents, senior health aides, or senior companions and to persons serving in SCORE 27
331	331	and ACE and any other program under Title II and Title III of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act 28
332	332	of 1973, 42 U.S.C. § 5000 et seq.; 29
333	333	(ix) Payments to volunteers under AmeriCorps VISTA as defined in the department’s rules 30
334	334	and regulations; 31
335	335	(x) Certain payments to native Americans; payments distributed per capita to, or held in 32
336	336	trust for, members of any Indian Tribe under P.L. 92-254, 25 U.S.C. § 1261 et seq., P.L. 93-134, 33
337	337	25 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq., or P.L. 94-540; receipts distributed to members of certain Indian tribes 34
338	338
339	339
340	340	LC000838 - Page 10 of 21
341	341	which are referred to in § 5 of P.L. 94-114, 25 U.S.C. § 459d, that became effective October 17, 1
342	342	1975; 2
343	343	(xi) Refund from the federal and state earned income tax credit and any federal or state 3
344	344	child tax credits or rebates; 4
345	345	(xii) The value of any state, local, or federal government rent or housing subsidy, provided 5
346	346	that this exclusion shall not limit the reduction in benefits provided for in the payment standard 6
347	347	section of this chapter; 7
348	348	(xiii) The earned income of any adult family member who gains employment while an 8
349	349	active RI Works household member. This income is excluded for the first six (6) months of 9
350	350	employment in which the income is earned, or until the household’s total gross income exceeds 10
351	351	one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal poverty level, unless the household reaches 11
352	352	its sixty-month (60) time limit first; 12
353	353	(xiv) Any veteran’s disability pension benefits received as a result of any disability 13
354	354	sustained by the veteran while in the military service. 14
355	355	(4) The receipt of a lump sum of income shall affect participants for cash assistance in 15
356	356	accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department. 16
357	357	(h) Time limit on the receipt of cash assistance. 17
358	358	(1) On or after January 1, 2020, no cash assistance shall be provided, pursuant to this 18
359	359	chapter, to a family or assistance unit that includes an adult member who has received cash 19
360	360	assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether or not consecutive), to include any time 20
361	361	receiving any type of cash assistance in any other state or territory of the United States of America 21
362	362	as defined herein. Provided further, in no circumstances other than provided for in subsection (h)(3) 22
363	363	with respect to certain minor children, shall cash assistance be provided pursuant to this chapter to 23
364	364	a family or assistance unit that includes an adult member who has received cash assistance for a 24
365	365	total of a lifetime limit of sixty (60) months. 25
366	366	(2) Cash benefits received by a minor dependent child shall not be counted toward their 26
367	367	lifetime time limit for receiving benefits under this chapter should that minor child apply for cash 27
368	368	benefits as an adult. 28
369	369	(3) Certain minor children not subject to time limit. This section regarding the lifetime time 29
370	370	limit for the receipt of cash assistance, shall not apply only in the instances of a minor child(ren) 30
371	371	living with a parent who receives SSI benefits and a minor child(ren) living with a responsible adult 31
372	372	non-parent caretaker relative who is not in the cash assistance payment. 32
373	373	(4) Receipt of family cash assistance in any other state or territory of the United States of 33
374	374	America shall be determined by the department of human services and shall include family cash 34
375	375
376	376
377	377	LC000838 - Page 11 of 21
378	378	assistance funded in whole or in part by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds 1
379	379	[Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.] and/or family cash assistance 2
380	380	provided under a program similar to the Rhode Island families work and opportunity program or 3
381	381	the federal TANF program. 4
382	382	(5)(i) The department of human services shall mail a notice to each assistance unit when 5
383	383	the assistance unit has six (6) months of cash assistance remaining and each month thereafter until 6
384	384	the time limit has expired. The notice must be developed by the department of human services and 7
385	385	must contain information about the lifetime time limit, the number of months the participant has 8
386	386	remaining, the hardship extension policy, the availability of a post-employment-and-closure bonus; 9
387	387	and any other information pertinent to a family or an assistance unit nearing the sixty-month (60) 10
388	388	lifetime time limit. 11
389	389	(ii) For applicants who have less than six (6) months remaining in the sixty-month (60) 12
390	390	lifetime time limit because the family or assistance unit previously received cash assistance in 13
391	391	Rhode Island or in another state, the department shall notify the applicant of the number of months 14
392	392	remaining when the application is approved and begin the process required in subsection (h)(5)(i). 15
393	393	(6) If a cash assistance recipient family was closed pursuant to Rhode Island’s Temporary 16
394	394	Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described in Title IV-A of the Federal 17
395	395	Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), formerly entitled the Rhode Island family 18
396	396	independence program, more specifically under § 40-5.1-9(2)(c) [repealed], due to sanction 19
397	397	because of failure to comply with the cash assistance program requirements; and that recipient 20
398	398	family received sixty (60) months of cash benefits in accordance with the family independence 21
399	399	program, then that recipient family is not able to receive further cash assistance for his/her family, 22
400	400	under this chapter, except under hardship exceptions. 23
401	401	(7) The months of state or federally funded cash assistance received by a recipient family 24
402	402	since May 1, 1997, under Rhode Island’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program 25
403	403	(federal TANF described in Title IV-A of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), 26
404	404	formerly entitled the Rhode Island family independence program, shall be countable toward the 27
405	405	time-limited cash assistance described in this chapter. 28
406	406	(i) Time limit on the receipt of cash assistance. 29
407	407	(1) No cash assistance shall be provided, pursuant to this chapter, to a family assistance 30
408	408	unit in which an adult member has received cash assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether 31
409	409	or not consecutive) to include any time receiving any type of cash assistance in any other state or 32
410	410	territory of the United States as defined herein effective August 1, 2008. Provided further, that no 33
411	411	cash assistance shall be provided to a family in which an adult member has received assistance for 34
412	412
413	413
414	414	LC000838 - Page 12 of 21
415	415	twenty-four (24) consecutive months unless the adult member has a rehabilitation employment plan 1
416	416	as provided in § 40-5.2-12(g)(5). 2
417	417	(2) Effective August 1, 2008, no cash assistance shall be provided pursuant to this chapter 3
418	418	to a family in which a child has received cash assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether 4
419	419	or not consecutive) if the parent is ineligible for assistance under this chapter pursuant to subsection 5
420	420	(a)(2) to include any time they received any type of cash assistance in any other state or territory 6
421	421	of the United States as defined herein. 7
422	422	(j) Hardship exceptions. 8
423	423	(1) The department may extend an assistance unit’s or family’s cash assistance beyond the 9
424	424	time limit, by reason of hardship; provided, however, that the number of families to be exempted 10
425	425	by the department with respect to their time limit under this subsection shall not exceed twenty 11
426	426	percent (20%) of the average monthly number of families to which assistance is provided for under 12
427	427	this chapter in a fiscal year; provided, however, that to the extent now or hereafter permitted by 13
428	428	federal law, any waiver granted under § 40-5.2-34, for domestic violence, shall not be counted in 14
429	429	determining the twenty percent (20%) maximum under this section. 15
430	430	(2) Parents who receive extensions to the time limit due to hardship must have and comply 16
431	431	with employment plans designed to remove or ameliorate the conditions that warranted the 17
432	432	extension. 18
433	433	(k) Parents under eighteen (18) years of age. 19
434	434	(1) A family consisting of a parent who is under the age of eighteen (18), and who has 20
435	435	never been married, and who has a child; or a family consisting of a woman person under the age 21
436	436	of eighteen (18) who is at least six (6) months pregnant from onset of pregnancy, shall be eligible 22
437	437	for cash assistance only if the family resides in the home of an adult parent, legal guardian, or other 23
438	438	adult relative. The assistance shall be provided to the adult parent, legal guardian, or other adult 24
439	439	relative on behalf of the individual and child unless otherwise authorized by the department. 25
440	440	(2) This subsection shall not apply if the minor parent or pregnant minor has no parent, 26
441	441	legal guardian, or other adult relative who is living and/or whose whereabouts are unknown; or the 27
442	442	department determines that the physical or emotional health or safety of the minor parent, or his or 28
443	443	her child, or the pregnant minor, would be jeopardized if he or she was required to live in the same 29
444	444	residence as his or her parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative (refusal of a parent, legal 30
445	445	guardian, or other adult relative to allow the minor parent or his or her child, or a pregnant minor, 31
446	446	to live in his or her home shall constitute a presumption that the health or safety would be so 32
447	447	jeopardized); or the minor parent or pregnant minor has lived apart from his or her own parent or 33
448	448	legal guardian for a period of at least one year before either the birth of any child to a minor parent 34
449	449
450	450
451	451	LC000838 - Page 13 of 21
452	452	or the onset of the pregnant minor’s pregnancy; or there is good cause, under departmental 1
453	453	regulations, for waiving the subsection; and the individual resides in a supervised supportive-living 2
454	454	arrangement to the extent available. 3
455	455	(3) For purposes of this section, “supervised supportive-living arrangement” means an 4
456	456	arrangement that requires minor parents to enroll and make satisfactory progress in a program 5
457	457	leading to a high school diploma or a general education development certificate, and requires minor 6
458	458	parents to participate in the adolescent parenting program designated by the department, to the 7
459	459	extent the program is available; and provides rules and regulations that ensure regular adult 8
460	460	supervision. 9
461	461	(l) Assignment and cooperation. As a condition of eligibility for cash and medical 10
462	462	assistance under this chapter, each adult member, parent, or caretaker relative of the 11
463	463	family/assistance unit must: 12
464	464	(1) Assign to the state any rights to support for children within the family from any person 13
465	465	that the family member has at the time the assignment is executed or may have while receiving 14
466	466	assistance under this chapter; 15
467	467	(2) Consent to and cooperate with the state in establishing the paternity and in establishing 16
468	468	and/or enforcing child support and medical support orders for all children in the family or assistance 17
469	469	unit in accordance with title 15 of the general laws, as amended, unless the parent or caretaker 18
470	470	relative is found to have good cause for refusing to comply with the requirements of this subsection. 19
471	471	(3) Absent good cause, as defined by the department of human services through the 20
472	472	rulemaking process, for refusing to comply with the requirements of subsections (l)(1) and (l)(2), 21
473	473	cash assistance to the family shall be reduced by twenty-five percent (25%) until the adult member 22
474	474	of the family who has refused to comply with the requirements of this subsection consents to and 23
475	475	cooperates with the state in accordance with the requirements of this subsection. 24
476	476	(4) As a condition of eligibility for cash and medical assistance under this chapter, each 25
477	477	adult member, parent, or caretaker relative of the family/assistance unit must consent to and 26
478	478	cooperate with the state in identifying and providing information to assist the state in pursuing any 27
479	479	third party who may be liable to pay for care and services under Title XIX of the Social Security 28
480	480	Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq. 29
481	481	40-5.2-11. Cash assistance. 30
482	482	(a) A family or assistance unit found by the department to meet the eligibility criteria set 31
483	483	forth in this chapter shall be eligible to receive cash assistance as of the date a signed, written 32
484	484	application, signed under a penalty of perjury, is received by the department. 33
485	485	(b) The family members or assistance unit shall be eligible for cash assistance for so long 34
486	486
487	487
488	488	LC000838 - Page 14 of 21
489	489	as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in accordance with this chapter. Parents and 1
490	490	adult non-parent caretaker relatives receiving cash assistance shall be eligible so long as they meet 2
491	491	the terms and conditions of the work requirements of § 40-5.2-12. An adult caretaker relative shall 3
492	492	be eligible for assistance as a member of the assistance unit so long as he or she meets all the 4
493	493	eligibility requirements of this chapter. 5
494	494	(c) The monthly amount of cash assistance shall be equal to the payment standard for the 6
495	495	family minus the countable income of the family in that month. The department is authorized to 7
496	496	reduce the amount of assistance in the month of application to reflect the number of the days 8
497	497	between the first day of the month and the effective date of the application. 9
498	498	(d) A decision on the application for assistance shall be made or rejected by the department 10
499	499	no later than thirty (30) days following the date submitted and shall be effective as of the date of 11
500	500	application. 12
501	501	(e) The payment standard is equal to the sum of the following: four hundred twenty-five 13
502	502	dollars ($425) (three hundred sixty dollars ($360) for a family residing in subsidized housing) for 14
503	503	the first person; one hundred fifty-nine dollars ($159) for the second person; one hundred thirty-15
504	504	seven dollars ($137) for the third person; and one hundred four dollars ($104) for each additional 16
505	505	person. Effective July 1, 2023, the payment standard for the assistance unit shall be no less than 17
506	506	fifty percent (50%) of the poverty guideline for the comparable assistance unit size as determined 18
507	507	by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for calendar year 2023. Thereafter, the 19
508	508	payment standard shall be adjusted in July of each year to be no less than fifty percent (50%) of the 20
509	509	poverty guideline for the comparable assistance unit size as determined by the U.S. Department of 21
510	510	Health and Human Services for that calendar year. 22
511	511	40-5.2-12. Work requirements for receipt of cash assistance. 23
512	512	(a) The department of human services and the department of labor and training shall assess 24
513	513	the applicant/parent or non-parent caretaker relative’s work experience, educational, and vocational 25
514	514	abilities, and the department, together with the parent, shall develop and enter into a mandatory, 26
515	515	individual employment plan in accordance with § 40-5.2-10(e). 27
516	516	(b) In the case of a family including two (2) parents, at least one of the parents shall be 28
517	517	required to participate in an employment plan leading to full-time employment. The department 29
518	518	may also require the second parent in a two-parent (2) household to develop an employment plan 30
519	519	if, and when, the youngest child reaches six (6) years of age or older. 31
520	520	(c) The written, individual employment plan shall specify, at minimum, the immediate 32
521	521	steps necessary to support a goal of long-term, economic independence. 33
522	522	(d) All applicants and participants in the Rhode Island works employment program must 34
523	523
524	524
525	525	LC000838 - Page 15 of 21
526	526	attend and participate in required appointments, employment plan development, and employment-1
527	527	related activities, unless temporarily exempt for reasons specified in this chapter. 2
528	528	(e) A recipient/participant temporarily exempted from the work requirements may 3
529	529	participate in an individual employment plan on a voluntary basis, however, the individual remains 4
530	530	subject to the same program compliance requirements as a participant without a temporary 5
531	531	exemption. 6
532	532	(f) The individual employment plan shall specify the participant’s work activity(ies) and 7
533	533	the supportive services that will be provided by the department to enable the participant to engage 8
534	534	in the work activity(ies). 9
535	535	(g) Work requirements for single-parent families. In single-parent households, the 10
536	536	participant parent or non-parent caretaker relative in the cash assistance payment, shall participate 11
537	537	as a condition of eligibility, for a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week if the youngest child in 12
538	538	the home is under the age of six (6), and for a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week if the youngest 13
539	539	child in the home is six (6) years of age or older, in one or more of their required work activities, 14
540	540	as appropriate, in order to help the parent obtain stable, full-time, paid employment, as determined 15
541	541	by the department of human services and the department of labor and training; provided, however, 16
542	542	that he or she shall begin with intensive employment services as the first step in the individual 17
543	543	employment plan. Required work activities are as follows: 18
544	544	(1) At least twenty (20) hours per week must come from participation in one or more of 19
545	545	the following ten (10) work activities: 20
546	546	(i) Unsubsidized employment; 21
547	547	(ii) Subsidized private-sector employment; 22
548	548	(iii) Subsidized public-sector employment; 23
549	549	(iv) Work experience; 24
550	550	(v) On-the-job training; 25
551	551	(vi) Job search and job readiness; 26
552	552	(vii) Community service programs; 27
553	553	(viii) Vocational educational training not to exceed twelve (12) months; provided, 28
554	554	however, that a participant who successfully completes their first year of education at the 29
555	555	community college of Rhode Island may participate in vocational education training for an 30
556	556	additional twelve (12) months; 31
557	557	(ix) Providing childcare services to another participant parent who is participating in an 32
558	558	approved community service program; and 33
559	559	(x) Adult education in an intensive work-readiness program. 34
560	560
561	561
562	562	LC000838 - Page 16 of 21
563	563	(2) Above twenty (20) hours per week, the parent may participate in one or more of the 1
564	564	following three (3) activities in order to satisfy a thirty-hour (30) requirement: 2
565	565	(i) Job skills training directly related to employment; 3
566	566	(ii) Education directly related to employment; and 4
567	567	(iii) Satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or in a course of study leading to a 5
568	568	certificate of general equivalence if it is a teen parent under the age of twenty (20) who is without 6
569	569	a high school diploma or General Equivalence Diploma (GED). 7
570	570	(3) In the case of a parent under the age of twenty (20), attendance at a secondary school 8
571	571	or the equivalent during the month, or twenty (20) hours per week on average for the month in 9
572	572	education directly related to employment, will be counted as engaged in work. 10
573	573	(4) A parent who participates in a work experience or community service program for the 11
574	574	maximum number of hours per week allowable by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is deemed 12
575	575	to have participated in his or her required minimum hours per week in core activities if actual 13
576	576	participation falls short of his or her required minimum hours per week. 14
577	577	(5) A parent who has been determined to have a physical or mental impairment affecting 15
578	578	employment, but who has not been found eligible for Social Security Disability benefits or 16
579	579	Supplemental Security Income must participate in his or her rehabilitation employment plan as 17
580	580	developed with the office of rehabilitation services that leads to employment and/or to receipt of 18
581	581	disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. 19
582	582	(6) A required work activity may be any other work activity permissible under federal 20
583	583	TANF provisions or state-defined Rhode Island works program activity, including up to ten (10) 21
584	584	hours of activities required by a parent’s department of children, youth and families service plan. 22
585	585	(h) Exemptions from work requirements for the single-parent family. Work requirements 23
586	586	outlined in subsection (g) shall not apply to a single parent if (and for so long as) the department 24
587	587	finds that he or she is: 25
588	588	(1) Caring for a child below the age of one; provided, however, that a parent may opt for 26
589	589	the deferral from an individual employment plan for a maximum of twelve (12) months during the 27
590	590	twenty-four (24) months of eligibility for cash assistance and provided, further, that a minor parent 28
591	591	without a high school diploma or the equivalent, and who is not married, shall not be exempt for 29
592	592	more than twelve (12) weeks from the birth of the child; 30
593	593	(2) Caring for a disabled family member who resides in the home and requires full-time 31
594	594	care; 32
595	595	(3) A recipient of Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income or 33
596	596	other disability benefits that have the same standard of disability as defined by the Social Security 34
597	597
598	598
599	599	LC000838 - Page 17 of 21
600	600	Administration; 1
601	601	(4) An individual receiving assistance who is a victim of domestic violence as determined 2
602	602	by the department in accordance with rules and regulations; 3
603	603	(5) An applicant for assistance in her third trimester from onset of pregnancy or a pregnant 4
604	604	woman person in her their third trimester who is a recipient of assistance and has medical 5
605	605	documentation that she they cannot work; 6
606	606	(6) An individual otherwise exempt by the department as defined in rules and regulations 7
607	607	promulgated by the department. 8
608	608	(i) Work requirement for two-parent families. 9
609	609	(1) In families consisting of two (2) parents, one or both parents are required, and shall be 10
610	610	engaged in, work activities as defined below, for an individual or combined total of at least thirty-11
611	611	five (35) hours per week during the month, not fewer than thirty (30) hours per week of which are 12
612	612	attributable to one or more of the following listed work activities; provided, however, that he or she 13
613	613	shall begin with intensive employment services as the first step in the individual employment plan. 14
614	614	Two-parent work requirements shall be defined as the following: 15
615	615	(i) Unsubsidized employment; 16
616	616	(ii) Subsidized private-sector employment; 17
617	617	(iii) Subsidized public-sector employment; 18
618	618	(iv) Work experience; 19
619	619	(v) On-the-job training; 20
620	620	(vi) Job search and job readiness; 21
621	621	(vii) Community service program; 22
622	622	(viii) Vocational educational training not to exceed twelve (12) months; provided, 23
623	623	however, that a participant who successfully completes their first year of education at the 24
624	624	community college of Rhode Island may participate in vocational education training for an 25
625	625	additional twelve (12) months; 26
626	626	(ix) The provision of childcare services to a participant individual who is participating in a 27
627	627	community service program; and 28
628	628	(x) Adult education in an intensive work-readiness program. 29
629	629	(2) Above thirty (30) hours per week, the following three (3) activities may also count for 30
630	630	participation: 31
631	631	(i) Job skills training directly related to employment; 32
632	632	(ii) Education directly related to employment; and 33
633	633	(iii) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a 34
634	634
635	635
636	636	LC000838 - Page 18 of 21
637	637	certificate of general equivalence. 1
638	638	(3) A family with two (2) parents, in which one or both parents participate in a work 2
639	639	experience or community service program, shall be deemed to have participated in core work 3
640	640	activities for the maximum number of hours per week allowable by the Fair Labor Standards Act 4
641	641	(FLSA) if actual participation falls short of his or her required minimum hours per week. 5
642	642	(4) If the family receives childcare assistance and an adult in the family is not disabled or 6
643	643	caring for a severely disabled child, then the work-eligible individuals must be participating in work 7
644	644	activities for an average of at least fifty-five (55) hours per week to count as a two-parent family 8
645	645	engaged in work for the month. 9
646	646	(5) At least fifty (50) of the fifty-five (55) hours per week must come from participation in 10
647	647	the activities listed in subsection (i)(1). 11
648	648	Above fifty (50) hours per week, the three (3) activities listed in subsection (i)(2) may also 12
649	649	count as participation. 13
650	650	(6) A family with two (2) parents receiving child care in which one or both parents 14
651	651	participate in a work experience or community service program for the maximum number of hours 15
652	652	per week allowable by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will be considered to have met their 16
653	653	required core hours if actual participation falls short of the required minimum hours per week. For 17
654	654	families that need additional hours beyond the core activity requirement, these hours must be 18
655	655	satisfied in some other TANF work activity. 19
656	656	(j) Exemptions from work requirements for two-parent families. Work requirements 20
657	657	outlined in subsection (i) shall not apply to two-parent families if (and for so long as) the department 21
658	658	finds that: 22
659	659	(1) Both parents receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI); 23
660	660	(2) One parent receives SSI, and the other parent is caring for a disabled family member 24
661	661	who resides in the home and who requires full-time care; or 25
662	662	(3) The parents are otherwise exempt by the department as defined in rules and regulations. 26
663	663	(k) Failure to comply with work requirements — Sanctions and terminations. 27
664	664	(1) The cash assistance to which an otherwise eligible family/assistance unit is entitled 28
665	665	under this chapter shall be reduced for three (3) months, whether or not consecutive, in accordance 29
666	666	with rules and regulations promulgated by the department, whenever any participant, without good 30
667	667	cause as defined by the department in its rules and regulations, has failed to enter into an individual 31
668	668	employment plan; has failed to attend a required appointment; has refused or quit employment; or 32
669	669	has failed to comply with any other requirements for the receipt of cash assistance under this 33
670	670	chapter. The reduction in cash assistance shall not exceed the share of the payment made to the 34
671	671
672	672
673	673	LC000838 - Page 19 of 21
674	674	participant, i.e., the amount paid in addition to the payment for the dependent children. If the 1
675	675	family’s benefit has been reduced, benefits shall be restored to the full amount beginning with the 2
676	676	initial payment made on the first of the month following the month in which the parent: (i) Enters 3
677	677	into an individual employment plan or rehabilitation plan and demonstrates compliance with the 4
678	678	terms thereof; or (ii) Demonstrates compliance with the terms of his or her existing individual 5
679	679	employment plan or rehabilitation plan, as such plan may be amended by agreement of the parent 6
680	680	and the department. 7
681	681	(2) In the case where appropriate child care has been made available in accordance with 8
682	682	this chapter, a participant’s failure, without good cause, to accept a bona fide offer of work, 9
683	683	including full-time, part-time, and/or temporary employment, or unpaid work experience or 10
684	684	community service, shall be deemed a failure to comply with the work requirements of this section 11
685	685	and shall result in reduction or termination of cash assistance, as defined by the department in rules 12
686	686	and regulations duly promulgated. 13
687	687	(3) If the family/assistance unit’s benefit has been reduced for a total of three (3) months, 14
688	688	whether or not consecutive in accordance with this section due to the failure by one or more parents 15
689	689	to enter into an individual employment plan, or failure to comply with the terms of his or her 16
690	690	individual employment plan, or the failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter, cash 17
691	691	assistance to the entire family shall end. The family/assistance unit may reapply for benefits, and 18
692	692	the benefits shall be restored to the family/assistance unit in the full amount the family/assistance 19
693	693	unit is otherwise eligible for under this chapter beginning on the first of the month following the 20
694	694	month in which all parents in the family/assistance unit who are subject to the employment or 21
695	695	rehabilitation plan requirements under this chapter: (i) Enter into an individual employment or 22
696	696	rehabilitation plan as applicable, and demonstrate compliance with the terms thereof, or (ii) 23
697	697	Demonstrate compliance with the terms of the parent’s individual employment or rehabilitation 24
698	698	employment plan in effect at the time of termination of benefits, as such plan may be amended by 25
699	699	agreement of the parent and the department. 26
700	700	(4) Up to ten (10) days following a notice of adverse action to reduce or terminate benefits 27
701	701	under this subsection, the client may request the opportunity to meet with a social worker to identify 28
702	702	the reasons for non-compliance, establish good cause, and seek to resolve any issues that have 29
703	703	prevented the parent from complying with the employment plan requirements. 30
704	704	(5) Participants whose cases had closed in sanction status pursuant to Rhode Island’s prior 31
705	705	Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described in Title IV-A of the 32
706	706	federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), the family independence program, more 33
707	707	specifically, § 40-5.1-9(2)(c) [repealed], due to failure to comply with the cash assistance program 34
708	708
709	709
710	710	LC000838 - Page 20 of 21
711	711	requirements, but who had received less than forty-eight (48) months of cash assistance at the time 1
712	712	of closure, and who reapply for cash assistance under the Rhode Island works program, must 2
713	713	demonstrate full compliance, as defined by the department in its rules and regulations, before they 3
714	714	shall be eligible for cash assistance pursuant to this chapter. 4
715	715	(l) Good cause. Good cause for failing to meet any program requirements including leaving 5
716	716	employment, and failure to fulfill documentation requirements, shall be outlined in rules and 6
717	717	regulations promulgated by the department of human services. 7
718	718	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 8
719	719	========
720	720	LC000838
721	721	========
722	722
723	723
724	724	LC000838 - Page 21 of 21
725	725	EXPLANATION
726	726	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
727	727	OF
728	728	A N A C T
729	729	RELATING TO HUMAN SE RVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WOR KS PROGRAM
730	730	***
731	731	This act would amend the Rhode Island Works Program to provide eligibility for benefits 1
732	732	for pregnant persons from the onset of pregnancy, and allow lawful permanent residents to receive 2
733	733	benefits without a waiting period. This act would also increase the monthly cash benefit to fifty 3
734	734	percent (50%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2023, and would provide for a yearly 4
735	735	cost of living increase by maintaining the benefit at not less than fifty percent (50%) of the federal 5
736	736	poverty level. This act would also repeal the termination of benefits to a family because of failure 6
737	737	of a family member to enter into or comply with an individual employment plan, which is 7
738	738	sometimes referred to as a “full family sanction”. 8
739	739	This act would take effect upon passage. 9
740	740	========
741	741	LC000838
742	742	========