House Bill 4147

    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4147

        By Representative Littlefield






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the WAGES Program; creating

  3         s. 414.155, F.S.; providing a relocation

  4         assistance program for families receiving or

  5         eligible to receive WAGES Program assistance;

  6         providing responsibilities of the Department of

  7         Children and Family Services; providing for a

  8         relocation plan and for monitoring of the

  9         relocation; requiring agreements restricting

10         application for temporary cash assistance for a

11         specified period; providing exceptions;

12         requiring repayment of temporary cash

13         assistance provided under certain

14         circumstances, and reduced eligibility for

15         future assistance; providing an effective date.

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17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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19         Section 1.  Section 414.155, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         414.155  Relocation assistance program.--

22         (1)  The Legislature recognizes that the need for

23  public assistance may arise because a family is located in an

24  area with limited employment opportunities, because of

25  geographic isolation, because of formidable transportation

26  barriers, because of isolation from their extended family, or

27  because domestic violence interferes with the ability of a

28  parent to maintain self-sufficiency.  Accordingly there is

29  established a program to assist families in relocating to

30  communities with greater opportunities for self-sufficiency.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4147

    517-152-98






  1         (2)  The relocation assistance program shall involve

  2  five steps by the Department of Children and Family Services:

  3         (a)  A determination by the department that the family

  4  is a WAGES Program participant or that all requirements of

  5  eligibility for the WAGES Program would likely be met.

  6         (b)  A determination that there is a basis for

  7  believing that relocation will contribute to the ability of

  8  the applicant to achieve self-sufficiency. For example, the

  9  applicant:

10         1.  Is unlikely to achieve independence at the current

11  community of residence;

12         2.  Has secured a job that requires relocation to

13  another community;

14         3.  Has a family support network in another community;

15  or

16         4.  Is a victim of domestic violence who would

17  experience reduced probability of further incidents through

18  relocation.

19         (c)  Establishment of a relocation plan, including a

20  budget and such requirements as are necessary to prevent abuse

21  of the benefit and to provide an assurance that the applicant

22  will relocate, which includes making expenditures on behalf of

23  the applicant.  The payment to defray relocation expenses

24  shall be limited to an amount not to exceed 4 months'

25  temporary cash assistance, based on family size.

26         (d)  A determination, pursuant to criteria adopted by

27  the WAGES Program State Board of Directors, that a Florida

28  community receiving a relocated family has the capacity to

29  provide needed services and employment opportunities.

30         (e)  Monitoring the relocation.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4147

    517-152-98






  1         (3)  A family receiving relocation assistance for

  2  reasons other than domestic violence must sign an agreement

  3  restricting the family from applying for temporary cash

  4  assistance for 6 months, unless an emergency is demonstrated

  5  to the department.  If a demonstrated emergency forces the

  6  family to reapply for temporary cash assistance within 6

  7  months after receiving a relocation assistance payment,

  8  repayment must be made on a prorated basis over an 8-month

  9  period and subtracted from any regular payment of temporary

10  cash assistance for which the applicant may be eligible.

11         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1 of the

12  year in which enacted.

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14            *****************************************

15                          HOUSE SUMMARY

16
      Provides a relocation assistance program for families
17    receiving or eligible to receive assistance under the
      WAGES Program. Provides responsibility of the Department
18    of Children and Family Services to determine who is
      eligible for and will benefit from the program, to
19    establish a relocation plan, to determine the capacity of
      the receiving community to provide services and
20    employment opportunities, and to monitor the relocation.
      Requires recipients of relocation assistance, except
21    families relocating because of domestic violence, to sign
      an agreement restricting applications for temporary cash
22    assistance for 6 months.  Provides requirements for
      repayment and for reduced eligibility for future
23    assistance when emergency applications for temporary cash
      assistance are made during this 6-month period.
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