Bill Text: AZ SB1661 | 2022 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced


Bill Title: TANF; lifetime limit; drug testing

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-03 - Senate read second time [SB1661 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2022-SB1661-Introduced.html

 

 

 

REFERENCE TITLE: TANF; lifetime limit; drug testing

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2022

 

 

SB 1661

 

Introduced by

Senators Gonzales: Gabaldon, Hatathlie, Quezada, Steele, Terán; Representatives Dalessandro, Epstein, Solorio

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending section 46-294, arizona revised statutes; amending title 46, chapter 2, article 5, arizona revised statutes, by adding section 46-300.08; 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 46-294, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE46-294. Duration of assistance

A. A needy family is ineligible for a cash assistance grant awarded under this article, except in case of hardship or as provided in subsection G of this section, if any of the following applies:

1. The needy family includes a head of household or the spouse of the head of household who has received cash assistance for himself for a total of twelve sixty months.

2. The needy family includes a cash assistance ineligible parent or the spouse of the ineligible parent who has received cash assistance on behalf of an eligible dependent child for a total of twelve sixty months or the total number of months allowed by federal law.

3. The needy family includes an adult nonparent relative head of household or the spouse of the adult nonparent relative head of household who has received cash assistance on behalf of an eligible dependent child for a total of twelve sixty months or the total number of months allowed by federal law.

B. The time limit frame prescribed in subsection A of this section applies retroactively to cash assistance received under this article or the Arizona works program on or after October 1, 2002. The time limit frame applies regardless of:

1. Whether the twelve sixty months are or the total number of months allowed by federal law is consecutive.

2. The source of funding for the program.

C. The twelve sixty month time limit frame or the total number of months allowed by federal law prescribed in this section does not apply to child only cases.

D. In determining the number of months that assistance has been received, the department shall disregard any month during which assistance is received by:

1. A foster parent, an unrelated adult or a nonparent relative, in a child only case.

2. An assistance unit during the time in which the assistance unit resides on an Indian reservation in which the unemployment rate of the adults residing on the Indian reservation exceeds fifty percent.

3. An assistance unit if the cash assistance grant is less than the full monthly amount of cash assistance for which the assistance unit qualifies based on the date of the application.

4. An adult recipient who as a minor child was not a head of household or married to a head of household.

E. Except in case of hardship or as provided in subsection G of this section, an assistance unit in which any adult or minor parent of a dependent child who is a head of household or married to a head of household has received sixty months of assistance funded in whole or in part by the temporary assistance for needy families block grant in this or any other state or United States territory or from a tribal temporary assistance for needy families program shall not be eligible to receive under any circumstances more than sixty months of such assistance.

F. Consistent with the adopted state plan, cash assistance shall terminate on July 1, 2016 2022 for any family, without regard to whether the family meets the financial criteria established for a needy family, that has received twelve or more sixty months or the total number of months allowed by federal law of cash assistance as of that date.

G. A needy family may receive cash assistance for an additional twelve months if both of the following apply:

1. The head of household or other adult household member who is required to participate in the work program is in full compliance and remains in full compliance with all work activity requirements of the program.

2. Each dependent child in the assistance unit, who is required to attend school pursuant to section 15-803, not including child only cases, has a school attendance record of at least ninety percent unless the child was excused pursuant to section 15-802, subsection D, paragraph 1, 3, 5, 6 or 7. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 46, chapter 2, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 46-300.08, to read:

START_STATUTE46-300.08. Drug testing; prohibition

Except as provided in section 46-219, the Department of Economic Security may not require drug testing for any TEMPORARY assistance for needy family RECIPIENT. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Retroactivity

Section 46-294, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act, applies retroactively to from and after June 30, 2022.

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