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PRINTER'S NO. 1189
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
918
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY MUTH, FONTANA, COMITTA, CAPPELLETTI, KANE, HUGHES,
BREWSTER AND L. WILLIAMS, OCTOBER 27, 2021
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, OCTOBER 27, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
further providing for uniformity in administration of
assistance and regulations as to assistance.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 403(b) of the act of June 13, 1967
(P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended to
read:
Section 403. Uniformity in Administration of Assistance;
Regulations as to Assistance.--* * *
(b) (1) The department shall establish rules, regulations
and standards, consistent with the law, as to eligibility for
assistance and as to its nature and extent. The department is
authorized to seek waivers from the Federal Government to
enhance consistency between Federal program standards,
requirements or procedures. This shall not be interpreted to
require the department to seek waivers to achieve consistency
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among standards, requirements or procedures in Federal programs,
except as specifically required under other provisions in this
article. Whenever possible, except for residency requirements
for general assistance, and consistent with State law, the
department shall establish rules, regulations and standards for
general assistance consistent with those established for aid to
families with dependent children. In no instance shall the
rules, regulations and standards established for general
assistance provide for assistance greater than that provided for
aid to families with dependent children. If three or more
general assistance recipients reside together in the same
household, their income eligibility and cash assistance shall be
no greater than income eligibility and cash assistance from aid
to families with dependent children for a household of the same
size. The secretary or a written designee is the only person
authorized to adopt regulations, orders, or standards of general
application to implement, interpret, or make specific the law
administered by the department. The secretary shall issue
interim regulations whenever changes in Federal laws and
regulations supersede existing statutes. In adopting
regulations, orders, or standards of general application, the
secretary shall strive for clarity of language which may be
readily understood by those administering assistance and by
those who apply for or receive assistance. For the purpose of
this subsection, the term "household" does not include single-
room occupancy residences, rooming houses, nonprofit residential
programs or personal care facilities receiving charitable
funding or Federal, State or local government funding.
(2) The department shall establish rules, regulations and
standards for the maximum monthly cash assistance received by a
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recipient or assistance group under this article to be equal to
fifty percent of the Federal poverty level, based upon the
applicable household size and composition, as determined
annually by the United States Department of Health and Human
Services. The maximum monthly cash benefit shall be annually
adjusted for inflation as the percentage change in the United
States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers, not seasonally adjusted,
all items index, or its successor index.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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