PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1878, 1933, 1982, 2055 PRINTER'S NO. 2405
No. 1324 Session of 1984
Report of the Committee of Conference
To the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives:
We, the undersigned, Committee of Conference on the part of the Senate and House of Representatives for the purpose of considering Senate Bill No. 1324, entitled: "An act amending the act of July 15, 1983 (P.L.596, No.3A) entitled, 'An act making an appropriation from the State Employees' Retirement Fund to provide for expenses of the State Employees' Retirement Board for the fiscal year July 1, 1983 to June 30, 1984 and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1983,' providing an additional appropriation. and adding provisions relating to audits," respectfully submit the following bill as our report: ROY W. WILT WILLIAM J. MOORE HARDY WILLIAMS (Committee on the part of the Senate.) WILLIAM WACHOB ALLEN G. KUKOVICH (Committee on the part of the House of Representatives.)
AN ACT 1 Making supplemental appropriations from the General Fund and 2 Federal funds to the Department of Public Welfare for the 3 fiscal year July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985, for certain 4 additional cash assistance payments, medical assistance 5 payments, homeless grants and screening costs incurred by the 6 Department of Public Welfare. 7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 8 hereby enacts as follows: 9 Section 1. Short title. 10 This act shall be known and may be cited as the First 11 Supplemental Appropriation to the General Appropriation Act of 12 1984. 13 Section 2. Additional cash assistance appropriation. 14 The sum of $6,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 15 necessary, is specifically appropriated to the Department of 16 Public Welfare for the fiscal year July 1, 1984 to June 30, 17 1985, for additional cash assistance in the same amount as and 18 subject to the same conditions as provided for those classified 19 as chronically needy, for individuals classified as 20 transitionally needy by the Department of Public Welfare and who 21 are in the following categories: 22 (1) A person who has a serious physical or mental 23 functional limitation which seriously impairs his or her 24 ability to seek and maintain gainful employment in a normal 25 work environment. Functional limitations include physical 26 disabilities or serious illness and mental disabilities such 27 as mental illness or mental retardation. The department shall 28 assist a person who appears to have such a limitation to 29 obtain documentation if the person is unable to provide such 30 documentation. 31 (2) A person who is a caretaker of a child or children
1 under 18 years of age but who does not qualify for aid to 2 dependent children or whose presence is required in the home 3 to care for an adult who needs care due to age, disability or 4 illness to be eligible. A caretaker of a child over six years 5 of age shall register for work and comply with all work 6 requirements of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), 7 known as the Public Welfare Code, unless exempt. 8 (3) A pregnant woman unless eligible for aid to 9 dependent children. 10 (4) A person who as a consequence of physical abuse by 11 spouse, family or household member does not have access to 12 financial support either because of withholding by the 13 abuser, separation from the abuser or loss of employment, or 14 who seeks to recover from or avoid victimization, and who has 15 filed a petition under the act of October 7, 1976 (P.L.1090, 16 No.218), known as the Protection From Abuse Act, or who is 17 receiving assistance or has received assistance from a spouse 18 abuse or sexual abuse agency if one is available in the 19 community. An abuse victim who lives in an area where such 20 abuse services are not available shall file a petition under 21 the Protection From Abuse Act or establish that he or she is 22 a victim by providing one form of independent corroboration, 23 such as a statement from the police, a doctor or hospital or 24 licensed mental health agency. A person who qualifies under 25 this paragraph shall be referred to appropriate employment or 26 training services, where available, and must comply with all 27 work requirements of the Public Welfare Code unless exempt. 28 Eligibility for benefits under this paragraph shall be 29 limited to one year. 30 (5) A person who is 35 years of age or older and who has 19840S1324B2405 - 2 -
1 worked without pay as a homemaker for his or her family in 2 the family home; is not gainfully employed; has had or would 3 have difficulty finding employment due to lack of vocational 4 skills or recent work experience; and who has depended on the 5 income attributable to a family member and has lost that 6 income as the result of separation, divorce or the death or 7 disability of that family member. A person eligible for 8 benefits under this paragraph shall be referred to 9 appropriate employment or training services where available 10 and shall comply with all the work requirements of the Public 11 Welfare Code. Eligibility for benefits under this paragraph 12 shall be limited to two years. 13 (6) Parents with children in foster care for whom a 14 family service plan with a goal of return to the home exists 15 and who comply with the family service plan developed by the 16 County Children and Youth Agency. Eligibility for benefits 17 under this paragraph shall be limited to one year. 18 (7) A person separated from the military service with an 19 honorable discharge within the last 24 months who is 20 ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits. 21 Eligibility for benefits under this paragraph shall be 22 limited to one year. 23 Section 3. Additional medical assistance appropriation. 24 The sum of $1,100,000, or as much thereof as may be 25 necessary, is specifically appropriated to the Department of 26 Public Welfare for fiscal year July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985, 27 for medical assistance payments for prescription drugs for 28 transitionally needy general assistance recipients not eligible 29 for cash assistance. 30 Section 4. Additional screening appropriation. 19840S1324B2405 - 3 -
1 The sum of $1,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 2 necessary, is specifically appropriated to the Department of 3 Public Welfare for fiscal year July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985, 4 for screening general assistance applicants classified as 5 transitionally needy to determine if they are chronically needy 6 due to a serious physical or mental limitation which impairs 7 ability to seek and maintain gainful employment in a normal work 8 environment. 9 Section 5. Federal Block Grant Funds appropriation. 10 The sum of $3,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 11 necessary, is specifically appropriated to the Department of 12 Public Welfare from the Federal Social Services Block Grant 13 funds for fiscal year July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985, for "Social 14 Services Shelter" which provides grants to local agencies for 15 provision of shelter to the homeless. 16 Section 6. Commencement of additional payments. 17 The Department of Public Welfare shall implement the 18 additional cash assistance payments under section 1 and the 19 additional medical assistance payments under section 2 on 20 November 1, 1984. 21 Section 7. Guidelines. 22 The Department of Public Welfare shall issue income 23 maintenance bulletins and such other guidelines as may be 24 necessary to implement this act. 25 Section 8. Lapse. 26 All funds unexpended or unencumbered as of June 30, 1984, 27 shall lapse. 28 Section 9. Appropriations additional. 29 The appropriations in sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 shall be in 30 addition to any sums appropriated to the Department of Public 19840S1324B2405 - 4 -
1 Welfare in the act of June 29, 1984 (No.7A), known as the 2 General Appropriation Act of 1984. 3 Section 10. Effective date. 4 This act shall take effect immediately. B22L84RZ/19840S1324B2405 - 5 -