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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
human services; budget reconciliation; 2020-2021.
Purpose
Makes statutory and session law changes relating to human services necessary to implement the FY 2021 state budget.
Background
The Arizona Constitution prohibits substantive law from being included in the general appropriations, capital outlay appropriations and supplemental appropriations bills. However, it is often necessary to make statutory and session law changes to effectuate the budget. Thus, separate bills called budget reconciliation bills (BRBs) are introduced to enact these provisions. Because BRBs contain substantive law changes, the Arizona Constitution provides that they become effective on the general effective date, unless an emergency clause is enacted.
S.B. 1687 contains the budget reconciliation provisions for changes relating to human services.
Provisions
1. Allows monies in the Special Administration Fund to pay for domestic violence prevention and cost-effectiveness study client services.
2. Requires the Department of Economic Security (DES) to screen and test each adult recipient who is eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits and who DES has reasonable cause to believe engages in the illegal use of controlled substances.
3. Renders any TANF recipient who tests positive for the use of a controlled substance that was not prescribed by a licensed health care provider as ineligible to receive TANF benefits for one year.
4. Requires, retroactive to March 11, 2020, DES, during the federal declaration of emergency related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to provide an exemption from prescribed TANF cash assistance time limitations and a general waiver from prescribed TANF cash assistance work requirements.
5. Permits, retroactive to March 11, 2020, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to authorize payments to the following providers to maintain a capacity that allows for the continuation of services during the federal declaration of the public health emergency associated with COVID-19:
a) behavioral health service providers;
b) providers of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IID); and
c) providers of services to the elderly and individuals who have physical disabilities.
6. Specifies that payments authorized by AHCCCS must be implemented in a manner that maintains federal financial participation and within AHCCCS's expenditure authority for FY 2020.
7. Authorizes, retroactive to March 11, 2020, DES and AHCCCS to temporarily adjust provider reimbursement rates for services to individuals with IID that are in a member's service plan and within DES's expenditure authority for FY 2020, in order to provide additional funding for increased overtime expenses and staff loss experienced by service providers associated with COVID-19.
8. Requires the Auditor General, by September 30, 2021, to provide to the Governor, the Legislature and the Directors of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting a report regarding the Department of Child Safety's practices for classifying and locating runaway or missing children.
9. Specifies that the report must compare the program to best practices and recommend improvements, as appropriate.
10. Repeals the reporting requirement on January 1, 2022.
11. Makes technical and conforming changes.
12. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Requires, retroactive to March 11, 2020, DES, during the federal declaration of emergency related to COVID-19 to provide an exemption from prescribed TANF time limitations and a general waiver from TANF work requirements.
2. Permits, retroactive to March 11, 2020, AHCCCS to authorize payments to specified service to maintain a capacity allowing for the continuation of services during the federal declaration of public health emergency associated with COVID-19.
3. Specifies such payments must be implemented in a manner that maintains federal financial participation eligibility.
4. Permits, retroactive to March 11, 2020, DES and AHCCCS to temporarily adjust specified provider reimbursement rates in order to provide additional funding for increased overtime expenses and staff loss experienced by service providers associated with COVID-19.
5. Adds a retroactivity clause.
Senate Action
Rules 3/18/20 DP/PFC 6-1-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 19, 2020
CRS/kja