Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 54; Title 63.1, Chapters 1 and 6, Code of Virginia; Title VI, Subtitle B, P.L. 97-35, as amended; P.L. 103-252, as amended; P.L. 104-193, as amended, Federal Code.
A. To the extent permitted by federal law, the State Plan for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) shall provide that the eligibility for assistance of an alien who is qualified alien (as defined in § 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Public Law Number 104-193) shall be determined without regard to alienage.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law, the Department of Social Services shall maintain a separate state program, as that term is defined by federal regulations governing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, 45 C.F.R. § 260.30, for the purpose of providing welfare cash assistance payments to able-bodied two-parent families. The separate state program shall be funded by state funds and operated outside of the TANF program. Able-bodied two-parent families shall not be eligible for TANF cash assistance as defined at 45 C.F.R. § 260.31 (a)(1), but shall receive benefits under the separate state program provided for in this paragraph. Although various conditions and eligibility requirements may be different under the separate state program, the basic benefit payment for which two-parent families are eligible under the separate state program shall not be less than what they would have received under TANF. The Department of Social Services shall establish regulations to govern this separate state program.
C. A participant whose Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) financial assistance is terminated due to the receipt of 24 months of assistance as specified in § 63.2-612, Code of Virginia, or due to the closure of the TANF case prior to the completion of 24 months of TANF assistance, excluding cases closed with a sanction for noncompliance with the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare program, shall be eligible to receive employment and training assistance for up to 12 months after termination, if needed, in addition to other transitional services provided pursuant to § 63.2-611, Code of Virginia.
D. Out of this appropriation, $7,800,000 the first year and $7,800,000 the second year from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be used by the Department of Social Services to provide recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance a monthly TANF supplement up to the current child support collected by the Division of Child Support Enforcement for each such recipient, less any disregard passed through to such recipient pursuant to any other provision of law. The TANF child support supplement shall be paid within two months following collection of the child support payment or payments used to determine the amount of such supplement. For purposes of determining eligibility for medical assistance services, the TANF supplement described in this paragraph shall be disregarded. In the event there are sufficient federal TANF funds to provide all other assistance required by the TANF State Plan, the Commissioner may use unobligated federal TANF block grant funds in excess of this appropriation to provide the TANF supplement described in this paragraph.
E. As a condition of this appropriation, the Department of Social Services shall disregard the value of one motor vehicle per assistance unit in determining eligibility for cash assistance in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and in the separate state program for able-bodied two-parent families.
F. Out of this appropriation, $2,141,890 the first year and $2,141,890 the second year from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be transferred to the Department of Health for the Comprehensive Health Investment Project of Virginia.
G. As a condition of this appropriation, the Department of Social Services shall, to the extent permitted by federal law, provide five months of Transitional Food Stamps for households whose TANF cash assistance is terminated.
H. Out of this appropriation, $4,910,128 the first year and $4,910,128 the second year from the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) grant shall be transferred to the Department of Housing and Community Development for a continuum of housing services for low-income families.
I. No less than 30 days prior to submitting amendments to the federal government on the State Plan for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services shall provide the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees with written documentation of the proposed policy changes, including an estimate of the fiscal impact of the proposed changes and information summarizing public comment that was received on the proposed changes.
J. Within the limits of this appropriation, the Department of Social Services may implement a pilot program in cooperation with up to six local agencies that will provide universal screening of all applicants for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) to identify victims of domestic violence and notify TANF applicants of special programs and services available to domestic violence victims. The pilot programs may include (i) training of local social services workers on the identification and provision of services to domestic violence victims, (ii) implementation of services and employment plans for domestic violence victims, and (iii) provisions to publish related brochures and palm cards to assist victims in obtaining assistance.