The Florida Senate

¹414.045  Cash assistance program.--Cash assistance families include any families receiving cash assistance payments from the state program for temporary assistance for needy families as defined in federal law, whether such funds are from federal funds, state funds, or commingled federal and state funds. Cash assistance families may also include families receiving cash assistance through a program defined as a separate state program.

(1)  For reporting purposes, families receiving cash assistance shall be grouped in the following categories. The department may develop additional groupings in order to comply with federal reporting requirements, to comply with the data-reporting needs of the board of directors of Workforce Florida, Inc., or to better inform the public of program progress. Program reporting data shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following groupings:

(a)  Work-eligible cases.--Work-eligible cases shall include:

1.  Families containing an adult or a teen head of household, as defined by federal law. These cases are generally subject to the work activity requirements provided in s. 445.024 and the time limitations on benefits provided in s. 414.105.

2.  Families with a parent where the parent's needs have been removed from the case due to sanction or disqualification shall be considered work-eligible cases to the extent that such cases are considered in the calculation of federal participation rates or would be counted in such calculation in future months.

3.  Families participating in transition assistance programs.

4.  Families otherwise eligible for temporary cash assistance that receive diversion services, a severance payment, or participate in the relocation program.

(b)  Child-only cases.--Child-only cases include cases that do not have an adult or teen head of household as defined in federal law. Such cases include:

1.  Child-only families with children in the care of caretaker relatives where the caretaker relatives choose to have their needs excluded in the calculation of the amount of cash assistance.

2.  Families in the Relative Caregiver Program as provided in s. 39.5085.

3.  Families in which the only parent in a single-parent family or both parents in a two-parent family receive supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended. To the extent permitted by federal law, individuals receiving SSI shall be excluded as household members in determining the amount of cash assistance, and such cases shall not be considered families containing an adult. Parents or caretaker relatives who are excluded from the cash assistance group due to receipt of SSI may choose to participate in work activities. An individual who volunteers to participate in work activity but whose ability to participate in work activities is limited shall be assigned to work activities consistent with such limitations. An individual who volunteers to participate in a work activity may receive child care or support services consistent with such participation.

4.  Families where the only parent in a single-parent family or both parents in a two-parent family are not eligible for cash assistance due to immigration status or other requirements of federal law. To the extent required by federal law, such cases shall not be considered families containing an adult.

Families described in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3. may receive child care assistance or other supports or services so that the children may continue to be cared for in their own homes or the homes of relatives. Such assistance or services may be funded from the temporary assistance for needy families block grant to the extent permitted under federal law and to the extent permitted by appropriation of funds.

(2)  Oversight by the board of directors of Workforce Florida, Inc., and the service delivery and financial planning responsibilities of the regional workforce boards shall apply to the families defined as work-eligible cases in paragraph (1)(a). The department shall be responsible for program administration related to families in groups defined in paragraph (1)(b), and the department shall coordinate such administration with the board of directors of Workforce Florida, Inc., to the extent needed for operation of the program.

History.--s. 8, ch. 99-241; s. 37, ch. 2000-165.

¹Note.--

A.  Section 162, ch. 2000-165, provides that "[t]emporary decennial census employment.--Notwithstanding any provision of state law, and within the procedures, requirements, and limitations of federal law and regulation, income earned through temporary decennial census employment shall be disregarded when determining eligibility or continued eligibility for participation in programs requiring a financial determination for receipt of benefits, payments, or services, including the WAGES Program under chapter 414, Florida Statutes, subsidized child care under section 402.3015, Florida Statutes, and any other social or economic assistance funded through the state share of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds. For purposes of this section, 'temporary decennial census employment' means employment for 120 days or less, within the period January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2000, with the United States Department of Commerce as a census-taker or block canvasser."

B.  Section 25, ch. 2000-171, provides that "[i]n order to implement Specific Appropriations 264-435 of the 2000-2001 General Appropriations Act, notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary, and within the procedures, requirements, and limitations of federal law and regulation, income earned through temporary decennial census employment shall be disregarded when determining eligibility or continued eligibility for participation in programs requiring a financial determination for receipt of benefits, payments, or services, including the WAGES Program under chapter 414, Florida Statutes, subsidized child care under s. 402.3015, Florida Statutes, and any other social or economic assistance funded through the state share of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds. For purposes of this section, 'temporary decennial census employment' means employment for 120 days or less, within the period January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2000, with the United States Department of Commerce as a census-taker or block canvasser. This section is repealed on July 1, 2001."