ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
TANF; eligibility
requirements
Restores
eligibility for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) to children born
during specified time periods.
Current
statutes relating to TANF deems ineligible for benefits any child born during
three periods of time: (1) when the
child’s parent is receiving welfare benefits; (2) during a voluntary
interruption in benefits of less than five years; and (3) while the parent is
temporarily ineligible due to noncompliance with an eligibility
requirement.
There are exceptions for
children born: (1) as a result of
sexual assault; (2) within the first
ten months of the parent’s initial eligibility; (3) within ten months after the
twelfth consecutive month the parent was not receiving benefits; and (4) within ten months of the parent’s
resumption of benefits following twelve months of not receiving benefits. These
children are counted when calculating any benefit increases that arise from
across-the-board increases for all program recipients, and a parent or other
relative may earn an amount equal to the disallowed cash payment without
affecting their eligibility.
The
bill removes ineligibility based on the time period of a child’s birth, thereby
allowing a family to receive $72 per month in cash assistance for a child born
to a TANF recipient. The bill also
contains a legislative intent clause that the bill has only prospective effect and
is effective if TANF funds for federal fiscal year 2001-2002 are appropriated
at an amount at least equal to the current TANF funding for Arizona, excluding
bonus monies. The TANF appropriation
for FFY 2001-2002 was approved at the same level as FFY 2000-2001 on December
21, 2001.
A fiscal analysis conducted
by Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff on similar legislation introduced
during the 2001 session estimated an annual impact of $3.3 million from a
combination of federal TANF and state general funds. Updated information has been requested.
1. Allows a family to receive an additional TANF benefit for a child born while a parent is receiving TANF benefits, born during a voluntary interruption of benefits or born during a period of noncompliance.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Confirms that the act is prospective.
4. Conditions enactment on TANF appropriations for FFY 2001-2002 being at least equal to TANF appropriations for FFY 2000-2001. (An amendment will be offered to correctly reflect that TANF will be reauthorized for FFY 2002-2003. This act will be conditional upon the funding for FFY 2002-2003 being at least equal to the current funding level.)
5. Requires the Director of the Department of Economic Security to notify Legislative Council of the federal reauthorization and funding amount within one day of receiving notification from the federal government.
6. Becomes effective on the federal funding applicable date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
January 21, 2002