CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2050, 1st Eng.
Amendment No.
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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11 Senator King moved the following amendment to House amendment
12 (632043):
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14 Senate Amendment
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19 (4) Hardship exemptions to the time limitations of
20 this chapter shall be limited to 20 percent of the average
21 monthly caseload participants in all subsequent years, as
22 determined by the department in cooperation with Workforce
23 Florida, Inc. and approved by the WAGES Program State Board of
24 Directors. Criteria for hardship exemptions include:
25 (a) Diligent participation in activities, combined
26 with inability to obtain employment.
27 (b) Diligent participation in activities, combined
28 with extraordinary barriers to employment, including the
29 conditions which may result in an exemption to work
30 requirements.
31 (c) Significant barriers to employment, combined with
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2050, 1st Eng.
Amendment No.
1 a need for additional time.
2 (d) Diligent participation in activities and a need by
3 teen parents for an exemption in order to have 24 months of
4 eligibility beyond receipt of the high school diploma or
5 equivalent.
6 (e) A recommendation of extension for a minor child of
7 a participating family that has reached the end of the
8 eligibility period for temporary cash assistance. The
9 recommendation must be the result of a review which determines
10 that the termination of the child's temporary cash assistance
11 would be likely to result in the child being placed into
12 emergency shelter or foster care. Temporary cash assistance
13 shall be provided through a protective payee. Staff of the
14 Children and Families Program Office of the department shall
15 conduct all assessments in each case in which it appears a
16 child may require continuation of temporary cash assistance
17 through a protective payee.
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19 At the recommendation of the local WAGES coalition, temporary
20 cash assistance under a hardship exemption for a participant
21 who is eligible for work activities and who is not working
22 shall be reduced by 10 percent. Upon the employment of the
23 participant, full benefits shall be restored.
24 (5)(3) In addition to the exemptions listed in
25 subsection (3) (2), a victim of domestic violence may be
26 granted a hardship exemption if the effects of such domestic
27 violence delay or otherwise interrupt or adversely affect the
28 individual's participation in the program. Hardship exemptions
29 granted under this subsection shall not be subject to the
30 percentage limitations in subsection (2).
31 (6)(4) The department, in cooperation with Workforce
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2050, 1st Eng.
Amendment No.
1 Florida, Inc., shall establish a procedure for reviewing and
2 approving hardship exemptions and for reviewing hardship cases
3 at least once every 2 years. Regional workforce boards, and
4 the local WAGES coalitions may assist in making these
5 determinations. The composition of any review panel must
6 generally reflect the racial, gender, and ethnic diversity of
7 the community as a whole. Members of a review panel shall
8 serve without compensation but are entitled to receive
9 reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in
10 s. 112.016.
11 (5) The cumulative total of all hardship exemptions
12 may not exceed 12 months, may include reduced benefits at the
13 option of the community review panel, and shall, in
14 combination with other periods of temporary cash assistance as
15 an adult, total no more than 48 months of temporary cash
16 assistance. If an individual fails to comply with program
17 requirements during a hardship exemption period, the hardship
18 exemption shall be removed.
19 (7) For individuals who have moved from another state,
20 the and have legally resided in this state for less than 12
21 months, the time limitation for temporary cash assistance
22 shall be the shorter of the respective time limitations used
23 in the two states, and months in which temporary cash
24 assistance was received under a block grant program that
25 provided temporary assistance for needy families in any state
26 shall count towards the cumulative 48-month benefit limit for
27 temporary cash assistance.
28 (8) For individuals subject to a time limitation under
29 the Family Transition Act of 1993, that time limitation shall
30 continue to apply. Months in which temporary cash assistance
31 was received through the family transition program shall count
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2050, 1st Eng.
Amendment No.
1 towards the time limitations under this chapter.
2 (9) Except when temporary cash assistance was received
3 through the family transition program, the calculation of the
4 time limitation for temporary cash assistance shall begin with
5 the first month of receipt of temporary cash assistance after
6 the effective date of this act.
7 (10) Child-only cases are not subject to time
8 limitations, and temporary cash assistance received while an
9 individual is a minor child shall not count towards time
10 limitations.
11 (11) An individual who receives benefits under the
12 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or the Social
13 Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is not subject to
14 time limitations. An individual who has applied for
15 supplemental security income (SSI) or supplemental security
16 disability income (SSDI), but has not yet received a
17 determination must be granted an extension of time limits
18 until the individual receives a final determination on the SSI
19 application. Determination shall be considered final once all
20 appeals have been exhausted, benefits have been received, or
21 denial has been accepted without any appeal. While awaiting a
22 final determination, such individual must continue to meet all
23 program requirements assigned to the participant based on
24 medical ability to comply. If a final determination results in
25 the denial of benefits for supplemental security income (SSI)
26 or supplemental security disability income (SSDI), any period
27 during which the recipient received assistance under this
28 chapter shall count against Extensions of time limits shall be
29 within the recipient's 48-month lifetime limit. Hardship
30 exemptions granted under this subsection shall not be subject
31 to the percentage limitations in subsection (2).
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2050, 1st Eng.
Amendment No.
1 (12) A person who is totally responsible for the
2 personal care of a disabled family member is not subject to
3 time limitations if the need for the care is verified and
4 alternative care is not available for the family member. The
5 department shall annually evaluate an individual's
6 qualifications for this exemption.
7 (13) A member of the WAGES Program staff of the
8 regional workforce board shall interview and assess the
9 employment prospects and barriers of each participant who is
10 within 6 months of reaching the 24-month time limit. The
11 staff member shall assist the participant in identifying
12 actions necessary to become employed prior to reaching the
13 benefit time limit for temporary cash assistance and, if
14 appropriate, shall refer the participant for services that
15 could facilitate employment.
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