Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0658 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2025 -- S 0658
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7	7	LC002225
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM
16	16	Introduced By: Senators Murray, DiPalma, Felag, Thompson, Sosnowski, DiMario,
17	17	Ciccone, Tikoian, Britto, and McKenney
18	18	Date Introduced: March 07, 2025
19	19	Referred To: Senate Finance
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Sections 40-5.2-10, 40-5.2-11 and 40-5.2-35 of the General Laws in Chapter 1
24	24	40-5.2 entitled "The Rhode Island Works Program" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	40-5.2-10. Necessary requirements and conditions. 3
26	26	The following requirements and conditions shall be necessary to establish eligibility for 4
27	27	the program. 5
28	28	(a) Citizenship, alienage, and residency requirements. 6
29	29	(1) A person shall be a resident of the state of Rhode Island. 7
30	30	(2) Effective October 1, 2008, a person shall be a United States citizen, or shall meet the 8
31	31	alienage requirements established in § 402(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 9
32	32	Reconciliation Act of 1996, PRWORA, Pub. L. No. 104-193 and as that section may hereafter be 10
33	33	amended [8 U.S.C. § 1612]; a person who is not a United States citizen and does not meet the 11
34	34	alienage requirements established in PRWORA, as amended, is not eligible for cash assistance in 12
35	35	accordance with this chapter. Provided, however, a person who has been admitted for lawful 13
36	36	permanent residence shall not be subject to a waiting period for benefits for which they are 14
37	37	otherwise eligible under this chapter. 15
38	38	(b) The family/assistance unit must meet any other requirements established by the 16
39	39	department of human services by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the Administrative 17
40	40	Procedures Act, as necessary to promote the purpose and goals of this chapter. 18
41	41	(c) Receipt of cash assistance is conditional upon compliance with all program 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC002225 - Page 2 of 12
45	45	requirements. 1
46	46	(d) All individuals domiciled in this state shall be exempt from the application of 2
47	47	subdivision 115(d)(1)(A) of Pub. L. No. 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work 3
48	48	Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, PRWORA [21 U.S.C. § 862a], which makes any 4
49	49	individual ineligible for certain state and federal assistance if that individual has been convicted 5
50	50	under federal or state law of any offense that is classified as a felony by the law of the jurisdiction 6
51	51	and that has as an element the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance as defined 7
52	52	in § 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 802(6)). 8
53	53	(e) Individual employment plan as a condition of eligibility. 9
54	54	(1) Following receipt of an application, the department of human services shall assess the 10
55	55	financial conditions of the family, including the non-parent caretaker relative who is applying for 11
56	56	cash assistance for themself as well as for the minor child(ren), in the context of an eligibility 12
57	57	determination. If a parent or non-parent caretaker relative is unemployed or under-employed, the 13
58	58	department shall conduct an initial assessment, taking into account: 14
59	59	(A) The physical capacity, skills, education, work experience, health, safety, family 15
60	60	responsibilities, and place of residence of the individual; and 16
61	61	(B) The child care and supportive services required by the applicant to avail themself of 17
62	62	employment opportunities and/or work readiness programs. 18
63	63	(2) On the basis of this assessment, the department of human services and the department 19
64	64	of labor and training, as appropriate, in consultation with the applicant, shall develop an individual 20
65	65	employment plan for the family that requires the individual to participate in the intensive 21
66	66	employment services. Intensive employment services shall be defined as the work requirement 22
67	67	activities in § 40-5.2-12(g) and (i). 23
68	68	(3) The director, or the director’s designee, may assign a case manager to an 24
69	69	applicant/participant, as appropriate. 25
70	70	(4) The department of labor and training and the department of human services in 26
71	71	conjunction with the participant shall develop a revised individual employment plan that shall 27
72	72	identify employment objectives, taking into consideration factors above, and shall include a 28
73	73	strategy for immediate employment and for preparing for, finding, and retaining employment 29
74	74	consistent, to the extent practicable, with the individual’s career objectives. 30
75	75	(5) The individual employment plan must include the provision for the participant to 31
76	76	engage in work requirements as outlined in § 40-5.2-12. 32
77	77	(6)(i) The participant shall attend and participate immediately in intensive assessment and 33
78	78	employment services as the first step in the individual employment plan, unless temporarily exempt 34
79	79
80	80
81	81	LC002225 - Page 3 of 12
82	82	from this requirement in accordance with this chapter. Intensive assessment and employment 1
83	83	services shall be defined as the work requirement activities in § 40-5.2-12(g) and (i). 2
84	84	(ii) Parents under age twenty (20) without a high school diploma or general equivalency 3
85	85	diploma (GED) shall be referred to special teen-parent programs that will provide intensive services 4
86	86	designed to assist teen parents to complete high school education or GED, and to continue approved 5
87	87	work plan activities in accord with Rhode Island works program requirements. 6
88	88	(7) The applicant shall become a participant in accordance with this chapter at the time the 7
89	89	individual employment plan is signed and entered into. 8
90	90	(8) Applicants and participants of the Rhode Island works program shall agree to comply 9
91	91	with the terms of the individual employment plan, and shall cooperate fully with the steps 10
92	92	established in the individual employment plan, including the work requirements. 11
93	93	(9) The department of human services has the authority under the chapter to require 12
94	94	attendance by the applicant/participant, either at the department of human services or at the 13
95	95	department of labor and training, at appointments deemed necessary for the purpose of having the 14
96	96	applicant enter into and become eligible for assistance through the Rhode Island works program. 15
97	97	The appointments include, but are not limited to: the initial interview, orientation and assessment; 16
98	98	job readiness; and job search. Attendance is required as a condition of eligibility for cash assistance 17
99	99	in accordance with rules and regulations established by the department. 18
100	100	(10) As a condition of eligibility for assistance pursuant to this chapter, the 19
101	101	applicant/participant shall be obligated to keep appointments; attend orientation meetings at the 20
102	102	department of human services and/or the Rhode Island department of labor and training; participate 21
103	103	in any initial assessments or appraisals; and comply with all the terms of the individual employment 22
104	104	plan in accordance with department of human services rules and regulations. 23
105	105	(11) A participant, including a parent or non-parent caretaker relative included in the cash 24
106	106	assistance payment, shall not voluntarily quit a job or refuse a job unless there is good cause as 25
107	107	defined in this chapter or the department’s rules and regulations. 26
108	108	(12) A participant who voluntarily quits or refuses a job without good cause, as defined in 27
109	109	§ 40-5.2-12(l), while receiving cash assistance in accordance with this chapter, shall be sanctioned 28
110	110	in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department. 29
111	111	(f) Resources. 30
112	112	(1) The family or assistance unit’s countable resources shall be less than the allowable 31
113	113	resource limit established by the department in accordance with this chapter. 32
114	114	(2) No family or assistance unit shall be eligible for assistance payments if the combined 33
115	115	value of its available resources (reduced by any obligations or debts with respect to such resources) 34
116	116
117	117
118	118	LC002225 - Page 4 of 12
119	119	exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000). 1
120	120	(3) For purposes of this subsection, the following shall not be counted as resources of the 2
121	121	family/assistance unit in the determination of eligibility for the works program: 3
122	122	(i) The home owned and occupied by a child, parent, relative, or other individual; 4
123	123	(ii) Real property owned by a husband and wife as tenants by the entirety, if the property 5
124	124	is not the home of the family and if the spouse of the applicant refuses to sell his or her interest in 6
125	125	the property; 7
126	126	(iii) Real property that the family is making a good faith effort to dispose of, however, any 8
127	127	cash assistance payable to the family for any such period shall be conditioned upon such disposal 9
128	128	of the real property within six (6) months of the date of application and any payments of assistance 10
129	129	for that period shall (at the time of disposal) be considered overpayments to the extent that they 11
130	130	would not have occurred at the beginning of the period for which the payments were made. All 12
131	131	overpayments are debts subject to recovery in accordance with the provisions of the chapter; 13
132	132	(iv) Income-producing property other than real estate including, but not limited to, 14
133	133	equipment such as farm tools, carpenter’s tools, and vehicles used in the production of goods or 15
134	134	services that the department determines are necessary for the family to earn a living; 16
135	135	(v) One vehicle for each adult household member, but not to exceed two (2) vehicles per 17
136	136	household, and in addition, a vehicle used primarily for income-producing purposes such as, but 18
137	137	not limited to, a taxi, truck, or fishing boat; a vehicle used as a family’s home; a vehicle that 19
138	138	annually produces income consistent with its fair market value, even if only used on a seasonal 20
139	139	basis; a vehicle necessary to transport a family member with a disability where the vehicle is 21
140	140	specially equipped to meet the specific needs of the person with a disability or if the vehicle is a 22
141	141	special type of vehicle that makes it possible to transport the person with a disability; 23
142	142	(vi) Household furnishings and appliances, clothing, personal effects, and keepsakes of 24
143	143	limited value; 25
144	144	(vii) Burial plots (one for each child, relative, and other individual in the assistance unit) 26
145	145	and funeral arrangements; 27
146	146	(viii) For the month of receipt and the following month, any refund of federal income taxes 28
147	147	made to the family by reason of § 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 32 (relating 29
148	148	to earned income tax credit), and any payment made to the family by an employer under § 3507 of 30
149	149	the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 3507 [repealed] (relating to advance payment of 31
150	150	such earned income credit); 32
151	151	(ix) The resources of any family member receiving supplementary security income 33
152	152	assistance under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.; 34
153	153
154	154
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156	156	(x) Any veteran’s disability pension benefits received as a result of any disability sustained 1
157	157	by the veteran while in the military service. 2
158	158	(g) Income. 3
159	159	(1) Except as otherwise provided for herein, in determining eligibility for and the amount 4
160	160	of cash assistance to which a family is entitled under this chapter, the income of a family includes 5
161	161	all of the money, goods, and services received or actually available to any member of the family. 6
162	162	(2) In determining the eligibility for and the amount of cash assistance to which a 7
163	163	family/assistance unit is entitled under this chapter, income in any month shall not include the first 8
164	164	five hundred and twenty-five dollars ($525) of gross earnings plus fifty percent (50%) of the gross 9
165	165	earnings of the family in excess of five hundred and twenty-five dollars ($525) earned during the 10
166	166	month. 11
167	167	(3) The income of a family shall not include: 12
168	168	(i) The first fifty dollars ($50.00) in one hundred dollars ($100) of child support for one 13
169	169	child or the first two hundred dollars ($200) of child support for more than one child received in 14
170	170	any month from each noncustodial parent of a child plus any arrearages in child support (to the 15
171	171	extent of the first fifty dollars ($50.00) per month multiplied by the number of months in which the 16
172	172	support has been in arrears) that are paid in any month by a noncustodial parent of a child parents; 17
173	173	(ii) Earned income of any child; 18
174	174	(iii) Income received by a family member who is receiving Supplemental Security Income 19
175	175	(SSI) assistance under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1381 et seq.; 20
176	176	(iv) The value of assistance provided by state or federal government or private agencies to 21
177	177	meet nutritional needs, including: value of USDA-donated foods; value of supplemental food 22
178	178	assistance received under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, and the special food service 23
179	179	program for children under Title VII, nutrition program for the elderly, of the Older Americans Act 24
180	180	of 1965 as amended, and the value of food stamps; 25
181	181	(v) Value of certain assistance provided to undergraduate students, including any grant or 26
182	182	loan for an undergraduate student for educational purposes made or insured under any loan program 27
183	183	administered by the United States Commissioner of Education (or the Rhode Island council on 28
184	184	postsecondary education or the Rhode Island division of higher education assistance); 29
185	185	(vi) Foster care payments; 30
186	186	(vii) Home energy assistance funded by state or federal government or by a nonprofit 31
187	187	organization; 32
188	188	(viii) Payments for supportive services or reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses made 33
189	189	to foster grandparents, senior health aides, or senior companions and to persons serving in SCORE 34
190	190
191	191
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193	193	and ACE and any other program under Title II and Title III of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act 1
194	194	of 1973, 42 U.S.C. § 5000 et seq.; 2
195	195	(ix) Payments to volunteers under AmeriCorps VISTA as defined in the department’s rules 3
196	196	and regulations; 4
197	197	(x) Certain payments to native Americans; payments distributed per capita to, or held in 5
198	198	trust for, members of any Indian Tribe under P.L. 92-254, 25 U.S.C. § 1261 et seq., P.L. 93-134, 6
199	199	25 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq., or P.L. 94-540; receipts distributed to members of certain Indian tribes 7
200	200	which are referred to in § 5 of P.L. 94-114, 25 U.S.C. § 459d, that became effective October 17, 8
201	201	1975; 9
202	202	(xi) Refund from the federal and state earned income tax credit and any federal or state 10
203	203	child tax credits or rebates; 11
204	204	(xii) The value of any state, local, or federal government rent or housing subsidy, provided 12
205	205	that this exclusion shall not limit the reduction in benefits provided for in the payment standard 13
206	206	section of this chapter; 14
207	207	(xiii) The earned income of any adult family member who gains employment while an 15
208	208	active RI Works household member. This income is excluded for the first six (6) months of 16
209	209	employment in which the income is earned, or until the household’s total gross income exceeds 17
210	210	one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal poverty level, unless the household reaches 18
211	211	its sixty-month (60) time limit first; 19
212	212	(xiv) Any veteran’s disability pension benefits received as a result of any disability 20
213	213	sustained by the veteran while in the military service. 21
214	214	(4) The receipt of a lump sum of income shall affect participants for cash assistance in 22
215	215	accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department. 23
216	216	(h) Time limit on the receipt of cash assistance. 24
217	217	(1) On or after January 1, 2020, no cash assistance shall be provided, pursuant to this 25
218	218	chapter, to a family or assistance unit that includes an adult member who has received cash 26
219	219	assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether or not consecutive), to include any time 27
220	220	receiving any type of cash assistance in any other state or territory of the United States of America 28
221	221	as defined herein. Provided further, in no circumstances other than provided for in subsection (h)(3) 29
222	222	with respect to certain minor children, shall cash assistance be provided pursuant to this chapter to 30
223	223	a family or assistance unit that includes an adult member who has received cash assistance for a 31
224	224	total of a lifetime limit of sixty (60) months. 32
225	225	(2) Cash benefits received by a minor dependent child shall not be counted toward their 33
226	226	lifetime time limit for receiving benefits under this chapter should that minor child apply for cash 34
227	227
228	228
229	229	LC002225 - Page 7 of 12
230	230	benefits as an adult. 1
231	231	(3) Certain minor children not subject to time limit. This section regarding the lifetime time 2
232	232	limit for the receipt of cash assistance, shall not apply only in the instances of a minor child(ren) 3
233	233	living with a parent who receives SSI benefits and a minor child(ren) living with a responsible adult 4
234	234	non-parent caretaker relative who is not in the cash assistance payment. 5
235	235	(4) Receipt of family cash assistance in any other state or territory of the United States of 6
236	236	America shall be determined by the department of human services and shall include family cash 7
237	237	assistance funded in whole or in part by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds 8
238	238	[Title IV-A of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.] and/or family cash assistance 9
239	239	provided under a program similar to the Rhode Island families work and opportunity program or 10
240	240	the federal TANF program. 11
241	241	(5)(i) The department of human services shall mail a notice to each assistance unit when 12
242	242	the assistance unit has six (6) months of cash assistance remaining and each month thereafter until 13
243	243	the time limit has expired. The notice must be developed by the department of human services and 14
244	244	must contain information about the lifetime time limit, the number of months the participant has 15
245	245	remaining, the hardship extension policy, the availability of a post-employment-and-closure bonus; 16
246	246	and any other information pertinent to a family or an assistance unit nearing the sixty-month (60) 17
247	247	lifetime time limit. 18
248	248	(ii) For applicants who have less than six (6) months remaining in the sixty-month (60) 19
249	249	lifetime time limit because the family or assistance unit previously received cash assistance in 20
250	250	Rhode Island or in another state, the department shall notify the applicant of the number of months 21
251	251	remaining when the application is approved and begin the process required in subsection (h)(5)(i). 22
252	252	(6) If a cash assistance recipient family was closed pursuant to Rhode Island’s Temporary 23
253	253	Assistance for Needy Families Program (federal TANF described in Title IV-A of the Federal 24
254	254	Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), formerly entitled the Rhode Island family 25
255	255	independence program, more specifically under § 40-5.1-9(2)(c) [repealed], due to sanction 26
256	256	because of failure to comply with the cash assistance program requirements; and that recipient 27
257	257	family received sixty (60) months of cash benefits in accordance with the family independence 28
258	258	program, then that recipient family is not able to receive further cash assistance for his/her family, 29
259	259	under this chapter, except under hardship exceptions. 30
260	260	(7) The months of state or federally funded cash assistance received by a recipient family 31
261	261	since May 1, 1997, under Rhode Island’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program 32
262	262	(federal TANF described in Title IV-A of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.), 33
263	263	formerly entitled the Rhode Island family independence program, shall be countable toward the 34
264	264
265	265
266	266	LC002225 - Page 8 of 12
267	267	time-limited cash assistance described in this chapter. 1
268	268	(i) Time limit on the receipt of cash assistance. 2
269	269	(1) No cash assistance shall be provided, pursuant to this chapter, to a family assistance 3
270	270	unit in which an adult member has received cash assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether 4
271	271	or not consecutive) to include any time receiving any type of cash assistance in any other state or 5
272	272	territory of the United States as defined herein effective August 1, 2008. Provided further, that no 6
273	273	cash assistance shall be provided to a family in which an adult member has received assistance for 7
274	274	twenty-four (24) consecutive months unless the adult member has a rehabilitation employment plan 8
275	275	as provided in § 40-5.2-12(g)(5). 9
276	276	(2) Effective August 1, 2008, no cash assistance shall be provided pursuant to this chapter 10
277	277	to a family in which a child has received cash assistance for a total of sixty (60) months (whether 11
278	278	or not consecutive) if the parent is ineligible for assistance under this chapter pursuant to subsection 12
279	279	(a)(2) to include any time they received any type of cash assistance in any other state or territory 13
280	280	of the United States as defined herein. 14
281	281	(j) Hardship exceptions. 15
282	282	(1) The department may extend an assistance unit’s or family’s cash assistance beyond the 16
283	283	time limit, by reason of hardship; provided, however, that the number of families to be exempted 17
284	284	by the department with respect to their time limit under this subsection shall not exceed twenty 18
285	285	percent (20%) of the average monthly number of families to which assistance is provided for under 19
286	286	this chapter in a fiscal year; provided, however, that to the extent now or hereafter permitted by 20
287	287	federal law, any waiver granted under § 40-5.2-34, for domestic violence, shall not be counted in 21
288	288	determining the twenty percent (20%) maximum under this section. 22
289	289	(2) Parents who receive extensions to the time limit due to hardship must have and comply 23
290	290	with employment plans designed to remove or ameliorate the conditions that warranted the 24
291	291	extension. 25
292	292	(k) Parents under eighteen (18) years of age. 26
293	293	(1) A family consisting of a parent who is under the age of eighteen (18), and who has 27
294	294	never been married, and who has a child; or a family consisting of a person under the age of eighteen 28
295	295	(18) from onset of pregnancy shall be eligible for cash assistance only if the family resides in the 29
296	296	home of an adult parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative. The assistance shall be provided to 30
297	297	the adult parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative on behalf of the individual and child unless 31
298	298	otherwise authorized by the department. 32
299	299	(2) This subsection shall not apply if the minor parent or pregnant minor has no parent, 33
300	300	legal guardian, or other adult relative who is living and/or whose whereabouts are unknown; or the 34
301	301
302	302
303	303	LC002225 - Page 9 of 12
304	304	department determines that the physical or emotional health or safety of the minor parent, or his or 1
305	305	her child, or the pregnant minor, would be jeopardized if he or she was required to live in the same 2
306	306	residence as his or her parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative (refusal of a parent, legal 3
307	307	guardian, or other adult relative to allow the minor parent or his or her child, or a pregnant minor, 4
308	308	to live in his or her home shall constitute a presumption that the health or safety would be so 5
309	309	jeopardized); or the minor parent or pregnant minor has lived apart from his or her own parent or 6
310	310	legal guardian for a period of at least one year before either the birth of any child to a minor parent 7
311	311	or the onset of the pregnant minor’s pregnancy; or there is good cause, under departmental 8
312	312	regulations, for waiving the subsection; and the individual resides in a supervised supportive-living 9
313	313	arrangement to the extent available. 10
314	314	(3) For purposes of this section, “supervised supportive-living arrangement” means an 11
315	315	arrangement that requires minor parents to enroll and make satisfactory progress in a program 12
316	316	leading to a high school diploma or a general education development certificate, and requires minor 13
317	317	parents to participate in the adolescent parenting program designated by the department, to the 14
318	318	extent the program is available; and provides rules and regulations that ensure regular adult 15
319	319	supervision. 16
320	320	(l) Assignment and cooperation. As a condition of eligibility for cash and medical 17
321	321	assistance under this chapter, each adult member, parent, or caretaker relative of the 18
322	322	family/assistance unit must: 19
323	323	(1) Assign to the state any rights to support for children within the family from any person 20
324	324	that the family member has at the time the assignment is executed or may have while receiving 21
325	325	assistance under this chapter; 22
326	326	(2) Consent to and cooperate with the state in establishing the paternity and in establishing 23
327	327	and/or enforcing child support and medical support orders for all children in the family or assistance 24
328	328	unit in accordance with title 15 of the general laws, as amended, unless the parent or caretaker 25
329	329	relative is found to have good cause for refusing to comply with the requirements of this subsection. 26
330	330	(3) Absent good cause, as defined by the department of human services through the 27
331	331	rulemaking process, for refusing to comply with the requirements of subsections (l)(1) and (l)(2), 28
332	332	cash assistance to the family shall be reduced by twenty-five percent (25%) until the adult member 29
333	333	of the family who has refused to comply with the requirements of this subsection consents to and 30
334	334	cooperates with the state in accordance with the requirements of this subsection. 31
335	335	(4) As a condition of eligibility for cash and medical assistance under this chapter, each 32
336	336	adult member, parent, or caretaker relative of the family/assistance unit must consent to and 33
337	337	cooperate with the state in identifying and providing information to assist the state in pursuing any 34
338	338
339	339
340	340	LC002225 - Page 10 of 12
341	341	third party who may be liable to pay for care and services under Title XIX of the Social Security 1
342	342	Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq. 2
343	343	40-5.2-11. Cash assistance. 3
344	344	(a) A family or assistance unit found by the department to meet the eligibility criteria set 4
345	345	forth in this chapter shall be eligible to receive cash assistance as of the date a signed, written 5
346	346	application, signed under a penalty of perjury, is received by the department. 6
347	347	(b) The family members or assistance unit shall be eligible for cash assistance for so long 7
348	348	as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in accordance with this chapter. Parents and 8
349	349	adult non-parent caretaker relatives receiving cash assistance shall be eligible so long as they meet 9
350	350	the terms and conditions of the work requirements of § 40-5.2-12. An adult caretaker relative shall 10
351	351	be eligible for assistance as a member of the assistance unit so long as he or she meets all the 11
352	352	eligibility requirements of this chapter. 12
353	353	(c) The monthly amount of cash assistance shall be equal to the payment standard for the 13
354	354	family minus the countable income of the family in that month. The department is authorized to 14
355	355	reduce the amount of assistance in the month of application to reflect the number of the days 15
356	356	between the first day of the month and the effective date of the application. 16
357	357	(d) A decision on the application for assistance shall be made or rejected by the department 17
358	358	no later than thirty (30) days following the date submitted and shall be effective as of the date of 18
359	359	application. 19
360	360	(e) The payment standard is equal to the sum of the following: five hundred ten dollars 20
361	361	($510) (four hundred forty-five dollars ($445) for a family residing in subsidized housing) for the 21
362	362	first person; one hundred ninety-one dollars ($191) for the second person; one hundred sixty-four 22
363	363	dollars ($164) for the third person; and one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for each additional 23
364	364	person. Effective July 1, 2025, the payment standard for the assistance unit shall be no less than 24
365	365	fifty percent (50%) of the poverty guideline for the comparable assistance unit size as determined 25
366	366	by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for calendar year 2025. Thereafter, the 26
367	367	payment standard shall be adjusted in July of each year to be no less than fifty percent (50%) of the 27
368	368	poverty guideline for the comparable assistance unit size as determined by the U.S. Department of 28
369	369	Health and Human Services for that calendar year. 29
370	370	40-5.2-35. Child support pass-through. 30
371	371	For any month in which a noncustodial parent makes a child support payment in the month 31
372	372	when due and the support is collected by the department of human services, for a child or children 32
373	373	receiving cash assistance pursuant to this chapter, the first fifty dollars ($50.00) one hundred dollars 33
374	374	($100) for one child or the first two hundred dollars ($200) for more than one child of the child 34
375	375
376	376
377	377	LC002225 - Page 11 of 12
378	378	support payment, or the actual amount of the child support payment if the payment is less than fifty 1
379	379	dollars ($50.00) one hundred dollars ($100) for one child or two hundred dollars ($200) for more 2
380	380	than one child, shall be paid to the family in which the child resides. If more than one noncustodial 3
381	381	parent makes a child support payment to children living in the same family, there shall only be one 4
382	382	payment of fifty ($50.00) one hundred dollars ($100) for one child or two hundred dollars ($200) 5
383	383	for more than one child paid to the family from the child support collected. This payment is known 6
384	384	as the “pass through” payment and shall be sent to the family within two (2) business days of the 7
385	385	determination that the amount is due and owing and no later than within two (2) business days of 8
386	386	the end of the month in which the support was collected. 9
387	387	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 10
388	388	========
389	389	LC002225
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391	391
392	392
393	393	LC002225 - Page 12 of 12
394	394	EXPLANATION
395	395	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
396	396	OF
397	397	A N A C T
398	398	RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM
399	399	***
400	400	This act would amend the Rhode Island works program to allow lawful permanent residents 1
401	401	to receive benefits without a waiting period. This act would also increase the monthly cash benefit 2
402	402	to fifty percent (50%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2025, and would increase the 3
403	403	cash support pass-through to one hundred dollars ($100) for one child and two hundred dollars 4
404	404	($200) for more than one child. 5
405	405	This act would take effect on July 1, 2025. 6
406	406	========
407	407	LC002225
408	408	========
409	409