HB1251 (2006) Detail

Relative to receipt by counties of federal funds for public assistance.


HB 1251-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2006 SESSION

06-2184

10/03

HOUSE BILL 1251-FN

AN ACT relative to receipt by counties of federal funds for public assistance.

SPONSORS: Rep. Gale, Sull 3

COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government

ANALYSIS

This bill allows counties to receive directly federal funds designated for public assistance programs for which the counties are responsible for payment.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

06-2184

10/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six

AN ACT relative to receipt by counties of federal funds for public assistance.

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

1 Public Assistance Fund; Use of Federal Funds by Counties. Amend RSA 167:20 to read as follows:

167:20 Public Assistance Fund Created. There is hereby established in the state treasury a public assistance fund which shall consist of all funds made available for the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161 by the federal government or the state. Within this fund there shall be established the following separate accounts: Old Age Assistance; Blind Assistance and Service; Aid to Families with Dependent Children; Child Welfare Services; Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled; Medical Assistance; Administration and Service. The commissioner of health and human services, with the approval of the governor and council, may make transfers of state funds between accounts within the fund. Moneys shall be disbursed from this fund upon authorization of the commissioner of health and human services for the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161: (1) All moneys advanced to or otherwise placed at the disposal of the state or the counties by the federal government and accepted by the state under the provisions hereof, (2) all moneys received from counties or towns pursuant to the provisions hereof, (3) the sums appropriated for the department of health and human services, and (4) the moneys appropriated to carry out the provisions of this chapter or RSA 161, shall be kept by the state treasurer in said public assistance fund and paid out by [him] the treasurer upon warrants drawn by the governor with the advice and consent of the council for the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161 and other purposes of the commissioner of health and human services, authorized by law. Unexpended balances in the accounts of said fund shall not lapse but shall be available for expenditure by the commissioner of health and human services, with the approval of the governor and council, for the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161.

2 Public Assistance; Acceptance of Federal Funds; Disbursement to Counties. Amend RSA 167:24 to read as follows:

167:24 Acceptance of Funds. The governor and council are hereby authorized on behalf of the state to accept and to apply to the carrying out of the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161 all moneys that may be advanced to, or otherwise placed at the disposal of, the state by the federal government or any of its agencies for the purposes of this chapter or RSA 161. [Said] All federal moneys received which apply to programs for which the counties are responsible for funding shall be forwarded to, and disbursed by, the counties. All remaining funds shall be disbursed by the commissioner of health and human services.

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

LBAO

06-2184

11/22/05

HB 1251-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to receipt by counties of federal funds for public assistance.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Department of Health and Human Services and the NH Association of Counties state this bill will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state, county and local revenue and expenditures in FY 2007 and each year thereafter.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department assumed this bill will become effective on July 1, 2006. The Department stated the counties are not responsible for various public assistance programs including: Old Age Assistance (OAA), Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled (APTD), Aid to the Needy Blind, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Child Welfare Services, and therefore, the Department is not able to determine the intent of this legislation. The Department indicated the OAA and APTD programs where the counties provide financial support are not eligible for federal funds.

    The Association of Counties assumed this legislation changes the current law concerning the receipt of federal funds by allowing direct allocation to the counties. The Association is not able to determine the fiscal impact of this bill.