ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: APPROP DP 9-7-1-0

HB2905: human services; 2024-2025

Sponsor: Representative Livingston, LD 28

Caucus & COW

Overview

Contains session law provisions relating to human services needed to implement the FY 2025 budget.

History

Extended Foster Care Comprehensive Service Model

Laws 2023, Chapter 141 required the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) to prepare a scope of work for an Extended Foster Care Comprehensive Service Model that includes supportive services and required case management provided by contracted community providers for young adults participating in the extended foster care program. The legislation also created the Extended Foster Care Comprehensive Model Fund to be administered by DCS and consisting of legislative appropriations.

Homeless Shelter and Services Fund

The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) was created in 2002 to establish policies, procedures and programs authorized to address the affordable housing issues confronting Arizona, including housing issues of low-income and moderate-income families, housing affordability, special needs populations and decaying housing stock. ADOH provides qualified housing participants and political subdivisions state financial, advisory, consultative, planning, training and educational assistance for the development of safe, decent and affordable housing. The agency is also responsible for maintaining and enforcing standards of quality and safety for manufactured homes, mobile homes and factory-built building (A.R.S. § 41-3953).

Laws 2023, Chapter 141 established the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund to be administered by ADOH, consisting of legislative appropriations, monies directed to be deposited in the fund and investment earnings on monies in the fund. The purpose of the fund is to award grants to counties, cities, towns, Indian tribes and nonprofit organizations for programs for programs that provide shelter and services to unsheltered persons who are experiencing homelessness. The fund repeals on October 1, 2027.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The TANF Block Grant is used to: 1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in homes of relatives; 2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage; 3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and 4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families (42 U.S.C. § 601). The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) utilizes TANF funding to provide temporary financial assistance to dependent children in their own homes or in the homes of responsible caretaker individuals.

According to the FY 2024 Appropriations Report, produced by the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), the FY 2024 budget continued the provision that allows DES to drug test TANF recipients if there is a reasonable suspicion that they are using illegal drugs (Laws 2023, Chapter 141).

Provisions

Extended Foster Care Comprehensive Service Model Fund

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteRepeals the Extended Foster Care Comprehensive Service Model Fund on July 1, 2025, and directs any unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining in the fund to be deposited into the state General Fund (state GF). (Sec. 1)

Homeless Shelter and Services Fund

2.   Changes the repeal date for the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund from October 1, 2027, to July 1, 2025, and requires any remaining unexpended and unencumbered monies to be deposited into the state GF. (Sec. 2)

3.   Removes the requirement that ADOH submit a report to the Governor and Legislature that describes all grants awarded in each fiscal year and instead requires ADOH to submit the report by December 1, 2024. (Sec. 2)

TANF

4.   Requires DES to screen and test each adult recipient who is eligible for TANF cash benefits and who DES has reasonable cause to believe engages in the illegal use of controlled substances. (Sec. 3)

5.   Deems a TANF recipient who tests positive for the use of a controlled substance that was not prescribed for the recipient by a licensed health care provider ineligible for TANF benefits for one year. (Sec. 3)

Miscellaneous

6.   Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)

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10.                    HB 2905

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