SB163: relative to housing assistance for families in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

SB 163-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2007 SESSION

07-1288

05/01

SENATE BILL 163-FN

AN ACT relative to housing assistance for families in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24; Rep. Donovan, Sull 4; Rep. J. Tilton, Merr 6

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a $250 housing subsidy for families in the TANF program unless they are receiving other housing assistance.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-1288

05/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT relative to housing assistance for families in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

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

1 Amount of Assistance; TANF; Housing Subsidy. Amend RSA 167:7, II-V to read as follows:

II. The commissioner of health and human services shall establish for the [aid to families with dependent children] Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program consolidated standards of need, or consolidated standards of need except for shelter, which may be separate from the payment standards and which shall be annually revised to accurately reflect the current cost of the basic necessities of living compatible with decency and health as determined by reliable market data. The commissioner may further establish consolidated standards of payment, or consolidated standards of payment except for shelter, subject to appropriated funds and applicable federal regulations.

III. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall determine the level of benefits in [both] assistance programs so that recipients shall be allowed to subsist compatibly with decency and health, subject to the amount of appropriated funds and applicable federal regulations.

III-a. Subject to available funds, the department of health and human services shall provide a $250 housing subsidy to participants in the TANF program if such persons are not receiving assistance with housing costs under the emergency assistance program or other housing assistance programs. The housing subsidy shall be in addition to any other cash benefits provided under TANF.

IV. In determination of the amount of payments or other assistance under RSA 167 or RSA 161, due regard shall be given to the income and resources of applicants.

V. Subject to applicable federal regulations, the commissioner may establish criteria to operate a special needs program, or to operate an emergency assistance program [only for aid to families with dependent children], subject to the amount of available funds in the budget of the department of health and human services.

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

LBAO

07-1288

Revised 02/23/07

SB 163 FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to housing assistance for families in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill may increase state restricted revenue and expenditures by $180,000 in FY 2007, and by $8,097,000 in FY 2008 and each year thereafter. This bill would have no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

The Department of Health and Human Services states once determined eligible, households that are not receiving assistance with housing costs will receive the $250 monthly subsidy contained in this bill. Based on data compiled by the NH Housing Finance Authority, there are 2,699 TANF families who have shelter costs and do not receive housing assistance under any housing assistance program. As a result, the Department estimates subsidy costs at $8,097,000 annually (2,699 families X $250/month X 12 months). Subsidy costs would be paid from federal funds under the TANF program. No additional general funds would be made available to support this program. In addition, the Department states there would be a one-time cost of $170,000 associated with the programming of the New HEIGHTS system to support the automated payment of the shelter subsidy to eligible families each month, and a one-time cost of $10,000 for policy and forms revision, and staff training. The Department states these one-time costs would be incurred in FY 2007 prior to the implementation of shelter subsidy payments.