A00693
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
934
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY CHRISTIANA, V. BROWN, MILLARD, HELM, KOTIK,
MUSTIO, DRISCOLL, McNEILL, LONGIETTI, COHEN, QUIGLEY,
A. HARRIS, ORTITAY, MARSHALL, SIMMONS, SCHREIBER, GRELL,
SAYLOR, STEPHENS, GROVE, MURT, WATSON, GABLER, KAUFER AND
GIBBONS, APRIL 8, 2015
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, APRIL 15, 2015
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,
providing for the establishment of KEYS.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding a section to
read:
Section 405.1B. Establishment of KEYS.--(a) There is
established in the department a program which shall be known as
Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS). KEYS shall be designed
to enable and to assist individuals receiving TANF or SNAP
benefits to enroll in and pursue a certificate or degree program
within one of the Commonwealth's community colleges , a career or
technical school registered with the Department of Education OR
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UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER
EDUCATION .
(b) A KEYS recipient shall be permitted to count vocational
education, including class time, clinicals, labs and study time
as set by the community college or school , toward the
recipient's core TANF work requirement for twenty-four months.
(c) In accordance with KEYS and notwithstanding section
405.1, the following requirements shall apply:
(1) A recipient shall be enrolled in a degree or
certificate program that will assist the recipient in
securing a job that pays a family-sustaining wage.
(2) A KEYS recipient may be granted a six-month
extension to complete the certificate or degree program,
provided:
(i) the recipient is enrolled in a program that will
lead to a high-priority occupation, as defined in section
1301 of the act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114),
known as the Workforce Development Act or a program the
community college has certified meets the same criteria
as a high-priority occupation;
(ii) The recipient has maintained a 2.0 grade point
average; and
(iii) the recipient has made satisfactory progress
toward completing the program, including, but not limited
to, completing all required developmental course work and
successfully completing an average of eight credits per
semester.
(d) A person who, without good cause, fails or refuses to
comply with the terms and conditions of the KEYS program shall
be terminated from the program.
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(e) The department shall promulgate regulations to implement
this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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