Bill Text: NH SB116 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Relative to an assistance program for grandparents caring for minor children and making an appropriation therefor.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-12-18 - To Be Inexpedient to Legislate, Senate Rule 3-23, Adjournment 09/25/2019; [SB116 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB116-Amended.html

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SB 116-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

03/27/2019   1145s

2019 SESSION

19-0840

01/05

 

SENATE BILL 116-FN

 

AN ACT relative to an assistance program for grandparents caring for minor children and making an appropriation therefor.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Levesque, Dist 12; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18; Rep. Knirk, Carr. 3; Rep. Tucker, Coos 5

 

COMMITTEE: Finance

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill changes the assistance program for 2-parent families with dependent children to an assistance program for grandparents caring for minor children.  This bill makes an appropriation for the purposes of the bill.  

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/27/2019   1145s 19-0840

01/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to an assistance program for grandparents caring for minor children and making an appropriation therefor.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Assistance Program for [2-Parent Families With Dependent] Grandparents Caring for Minor Children.  Amend RSA 167:77-e to read as follows:

167:77-e  Assistance Program for [2-Parent Families With Dependent] Grandparents Caring for Minor Children.  [Subject to available public and/or private funds,] The department may establish a non-TANF, state-funded financial assistance program for [2-parent needy families with dependent] grandparents caring for minor children [in which one parent is underemployed or unemployed.  With the exception of parental underemployment or unemployment, client eligibility and program requirements and administration shall be in accordance with this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter].

2  Appropriation.  The sum of $1,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 and the sum of $1,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 are hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purposes of the assistance program established in RSA 167:77-e as amended in section 1 of this act.  The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

19-0840

1/16/19

 

SB 116-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to the New Hampshire employment program and family assistance program and making an appropriation therefor.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

	Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE:	FY 2020	FY 2021	FY 2022	FY 2023
Appropriation	$1	$1	$0	$0
Revenue	$0	$0	$0	$0
Expenditures	$3,913,000	$3,913,000	$3,913,000	$3,913,000
Funding Source:	[ X ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [    ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill amends RSA 167:77-e by providing an appropriation to reinstate the state-funded Assistance Program for two-Parent Families with Dependent Children and extends the program to grandparents caring for minor children.

 

The Department of Health and Human services states the program ended in 2011 when general funds were no longer appropriated.  The Department assumes only families in which the primary wage earner is unemployed will be eligible, that Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) financial and non-financial assistance criteria will be applicable to participants, that the program will include work program requirements equivalent to the New Hampshire Employment Program (NHEP), and that the Department will provide employment and training service benefits to allow the parents to participate in the work program.

 

The Department states caseload levels have likely decreased to approximately 66  percent of what they were in 2011 when the program ended.  It anticipates about 198 cases, but notes TANF caseloads have been increasing which may also indicate an increase in caseloads for the program.  According to the Department and based on the above assumptions, the current maximum grant amount per household per month is $1,255 and average Employment and Training Benefit annually is $4,700.  Based on the projection of 198 cases, it is estimated there would be approximately $2,982,000 each year for cash benefits and $931,000 for employment and training, for a total estimated increase of $3,913,000 in general fund expenditures beginning in FY 2020.  The Department does not anticipate additional staffing or technology needs to implement the program.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services