"Conference Committee Actions, 5/30 - 6/4"
Welfare Conference Committee Actions
End of May through June 4
The number in most entries refers to the issue number in the notebook
in front of the conference committee members. Next follows the issue,
the motion passed, and the vote.
Domestic violence: 1) Department of Social Services,
County Welfare Directors, and District Attorney' Association to
develop a state protocol for handling domestic violence cases and
a training curriculum for workers. 2) County plan for will
specify how counties will train employees related to domestic
violence and which employees will receive training.
Adopted 14-0
98 Domestic violence: Require the state to establish the
ability to exempt victims of domestic violence from various TANF
requirements provided these persons exempted will not be counted
for purposes of measuring the state's work participation rate nor
be counted toward the 20 percent exclusion; allow counties to
determine exemptions for domestic violence on a case-by-case
basis pursuant to the statewide protocol. Adopted 12-0
152 Transportation: coordination between transit providers
and the county welfare department; funding priority for public
transit to enhance services for welfare-to-work purposes; where
public transit services are unavailable, priority should be given
to the alternatives such as subsidies, vouchers, van pools, and
contract paratransit operations. Adopted 14-0
10 SSI/SSP benefits for elderly legal immigrants who will
lose eligibility Adopted 14-0
11 In-Home Supportive Services for elderly legal immigrants
who would otherwise be eligible for SSI/SSP Adopted 14-0
12 Allow legal immigrants entering the US after 8/22/96 to
receive AFDC benefits Adopted 12-4
13 Provide citizenship assistance to legal immigrants
Adopted 14-1
15 Food stamp replacement for legal immigrants by purchasing
federal food stamps, if permitted under federal law
Adopted 12-3
40 GAIN: Assessment items: Retain current law adding
consideration of local labor market information and physical or
mental conditions that limit ability to reach employment goals.
Adopted 13-0
119 Option A: Alternate base period to determine UI
eligibility Adopted 12-3
119 Option B: Lower the minimum qualifying earnings for UI.
Adopted 12-3
119 Option C: Increase wage replacement rate for UI benefits
from 39 to 50 percent Adopted 12-3
119 Option E: Add UI dependent coverage of $25 per week for
up to 4 dependents Adopted 12-3
137 Food stamp waivers: Require DSS to apply for waivers
related to able-bodied adults Adopted 14-0
142 General Assistance: Implement state share in GA costs
including 30 percent of grant spending and 15 percent of
administration. Establish standard grant structure. Establish
task force to study integration of GA and TANF programs.
Adopted 13-1
159 TANF exclusion for drug felons: Adopt agreement excluding
those convicted of a felony for sale for a time up to the length
of the sentence. Persons convicted of possession or use for
similar periods unless they enroll in or complete a treatment
program and the person remains drug-free. Adopted 12-3
179 GAIN: Conciliation process: Adopt agreement to make
initial notice of noncompliance a notice of action to change
grant payment, effective in 30 calendar days. Determination of
good cause for noncompliance or agreement to a plan of compliance
must occur within 20 days. Adopted 14-3
182 Child support case registry. Adopted policy to conform
with federal law Adopted 13-0
183 Child support centralized collection and distribution:
Require franchise tax board to operate state system.
Adopted 14-0
6/4/97
Issue Motion Action
156-158 Substance abuse treatment: Allocation of $20 million to
counties for substance abuse treatment services provided pursuant
to a recipient's employability plan. Adopted 15-0
67 Fraud: Denial of benefits for 10 years for making
fraudulent statements to obtain aid in more that one state;
applying for fictitious children; making false statements that
lead to obtaining aide in excess of $10,000. Restitution of
illegally obtained benefits ends the period of ineligibility
Adopted 13-0
104b Require retraining of welfare workers and basic skill
training for recipients Adopted 13-0
106 Community Service Employment: establish statewide
guidelines for local program design; adopt a local plan; require
job search prior to public service employment; limit unpaid
community service work; meet federal Fair Labor Standards
Practices Act and pay wages based on comparable work and skill
level and experience; include anti-displacement provisions.
Adopted 12-0
49, 52 County MOE and share of cost: Budget 1996-7 TANF
expenditures between state and counties; maintain existing
sharing ratios for grants; consolidate GAIN and county
administration funds into a single allocation ; cap county
spending at 1996-97 level or the level needed to maintain the
county's contribution to the federal maintenance of effort;
reduction in county spending below the MOE will result in
proportionate reductions in state allocation. Require report
from DSS and county organizations to consider alternatives for
budgeting and allocation to be implemented in time for 1998-99.
Adopted 12-0
59, 60 County accountability: performance outcomes: adopted
statement of goals and requirements for monitoring performance of
counties. Adopted 12-0
94 Treatment of earned income: disregards: Disregard the
first $350 of unearned or earned income and 50 percent of
remaining earned income. Adopted 12-0