|
REFERENCE TITLE: temporary assistance; needy families; benefits |
|
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Legislature First Regular Session 2021
|
|
HB 2214 |
|
|
|
Introduced by Representatives Teller: Tsosie
|
AN ACT
Amending sections 46‑206, 46‑207 and 46‑207.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to temporary assistance for needy families.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 46-206, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
46-206. Payment of assistance; authority of department of administration; methods of payment
A. When an assistance award is made, the certification to the department of administration provided for by section 46‑204 shall be, until modified, suspended or discontinued by order of the state department, or until the death of recipient, be the authority to the department of administration to draw a warrant or an electronic funds transfer voucher in payment of such assistance from the fund provided for in this title. Payment of assistance installments shall be by warrants or electronic funds transfer voucher vouchers. Warrants shall be endorsed by the recipient before the warrant shall be honored.
B. If federal funds are withdrawn or reduced, grants shall be reduced as provided in section 46‑207, subsection B, unless the reduction results directly from a federal sanction imposed on this state for its failure to comply with the provisions of title IV‑A of the social security act.
C. B. The state department may make any payment of assistance as a vendor payment regardless of the particular program. The purposes for such payment shall ordinarily be to expedite giving of assistance or to assure that the assistance is meeting basic maintenance needs.
Sec. 2. Section 46-207, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
46-207. Grant plus income; uniform assistance plan; amount of assistance
A. In no event shall Assistance that is paid to any recipient under this title shall not be in an amount which that, when added to income from all other sources, causes the total of income and grant to exceed the need of the recipient under uniform assistance plans for each program as determined by the state department, except that this subsection shall does not apply to temporary assistance for needy families prescribed in section 46‑292.
B. If the total monies available for payment of assistance grants are not sufficient to meet the maximum amount for which each applicant or recipient is eligible by law, the department shall notify the joint legislative budget committee of the insufficiency of monies and shall make recommendations on how to overcome the insufficiency. The department shall not recommend reductions of an equal amount from every grant in each category of assistance, but shall take into consideration the needs of the applicants or recipients, and shall recommend the reductions necessary by specifying the percentage of budgeted needs which may be met within the maximums established in accordance with subsection A of this section. The department shall make the adjustments determined by the joint legislative budget committee.
C. B. In determining the amount of assistance which that a recipient or applicant may receive under this title, the department shall include all income and resources from every source of the person claiming such aid, except that which is required to be disregarded as defined in department rule or by other provisions of this title, and shall consider and take into account earning capacity, living conditions and all facts and circumstances surrounding such person.
D. C. For assistance granted pursuant to section 46‑292, the department shall include a shelter cost factor. For the purposes of determining assistance payments with this shelter cost factor, the department shall reduce the federal poverty level used in its calculation of payments by thirty‑seven per cent percent if the person is not paying, or is not obligated to pay, shelter costs on his the person's place of residence.
Sec. 3. Section 46-207.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
46-207.01. Temporary assistance for needy families; amount of cash assistance
Cash assistance paid to any recipient pursuant to section 46‑292, which when added to nonexempt income from all other sources, shall not be less than thirty‑six per cent percent of the 1992 federal poverty level adjusted for family size and factors provided in section 46‑207, subsections B and D subsection C.