1 Purpose Statement. The purpose of this act is to encourage able-bodied, childless adults to return to work, while protecting children, and to ensure that required child support payments are being made to families.

2 New Section; Food Stamp Program. Amend RSA 161 by inserting after section 10 the following new section:

161:10-a Food Stamp Program; Program Eligibility and Administration.

I. The department of health and human services shall not apply for, accept, or renew any waiver of requirements established under 7 U.S.C. section 2015(o) without the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee, established in RSA 126-A:13.

II. The resource limit standards of the food stamp program shall not exceed the standards specified in 7 U.S.C. section 2014(g)(1), unless expressly required by federal law; provided that the department may allow higher resource limits for households with children under 18 years of age with the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee. In no case shall categorical eligibility exempting households from these resource limits be granted for any non-cash, in-kind or other benefit, unless expressly required by federal law.

III. The department of health and human services shall not apply gross income standards for food assistance higher than the standards specified in 7 U.S.C. section 2014(c) unless expressly required by federal law; provided that the department may allow higher gross income standards for households with children under 18 years of age with the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee. In no case shall categorical eligibility exempting households from this income standard be granted for any non-cash, in-kind or other benefit, unless expressly required by federal law.

IV.(a) The department of health and human services shall elect the option pursuant to 7 C.F.R. section 273.11(o) to require individuals living with and exercising parental control over a child under the age of 18 who has an absent parent to cooperate with the department's division of child support services in establishing paternity of the child and in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order with respect to the child in accordance with section 454 (29) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. section 654 (29), in order to be eligible to participate in the food stamp program.

(b) The department shall elect the option pursuant to 7 C.F.R. section 273.11(p) to require a putative or identified obligor/parent of a child under the age of 18 to cooperate with the department's division of child support services in establishing the paternity of the child and in providing support for the child in order to be eligible to participate in the food stamp program.

(c) The inability of the putative or identified obligor/parent to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (b), as determined by the department's division of child support services or an appropriate court of law, or a finding of good cause to excuse cooperation, as determined by the department, shall preclude a determination of ineligibility to participate in the food stamp program.

3 Purpose Statement. The purpose of sections 4-10 of this act is to establish a pilot program by using allowable federal funds available from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program to end the dependence of needy parents on governmental programs by promoting job and work preparation and placing them into high labor need jobs based on the goals set forth in 45 C.F.R. section 260.20. The long-term goal of this program is to place low-income individuals into unsubsidized jobs in high labor need areas, transition them to self-sufficiency through providing career pathways with specific skills, and assist in eliminating barriers to work such as transportation and childcare. Taken together, these measures are designed to help low-income participants break the cycle of poverty and move them from living on the margin to the middle class and beyond.

4 Granite Workforce; Pilot Program Established.

I. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall use allowable funds from the TANF program to provide subsidies to employers in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages, and to create a network of assistance to remove barriers to work for low-income families. The funds shall be used to establish a pilot program, referred to as Granite Workforce, a TANF nonassistance program, which shall accept enrollments by applicants for an initial period of 6 months and which shall last for 9 months from the effective date of this section. The program shall be jointly administered by the department of health and human services and the department of employment security. No cash assistance shall be provided to eligible participants through Granite Workforce. The total cost of the pilot program shall not exceed $9,000,000 in federal TANF funds.

II. To be eligible for Granite Workforce, applicants shall be:

(a) In a household with an income under 200 percent of the federal poverty level; and

(b) Parents aged 18 through 64 with a child under age 18 in the household; or

(c) Noncustodial parents age 18 through 64 with a child under the age of 18.

III. The department of employment security shall determine eligibility and entry into the program, using nationally recognized assessment tools for vocational and job readiness assessments. Vocational assessments shall include educational needs, vocational interest, personal values, and aptitude. The department shall use the assessment results to work with the participant to produce a long-term career plan for moving into the middle class and beyond.

IV. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph II regarding program eligibility, administrative rules governing the New Hampshire employment program, adopted under RSA 541-A as chapter He-W 600, shall apply to the Granite Workforce pilot program.

5 Granite Workforce; Subsidies for Employers.

I. Upon placement of a participant into a paying job and receiving verification of employment and wages from the employer, the department of employment security shall pay the employer a subsidy of $2,000.

II. After at least 3 full months of the continued employment of the participant and receiving verification of the continued employment and wages from the employer, the department of employment security shall pay the employer a second subsidy of $2,000.

III. If an overpayment is made, the employer shall reimburse the department that amount upon being notified by the department.

6 Referral for Barriers to Employment. The department of health and human services, in consultation with the department of employment security, shall issue a request for applications (RFAs) for community providers interested in offering case management services to participants with barriers to employment. Participants shall be identified by the department of employment security using an assessment process that screens for barriers to employment including, but not limited to, transportation, child care, substance use, mental health, and domestic violence. Thereafter, the department of employment security shall refer to community providers those individuals deemed needing assistance with removing barriers to employment. When child care is identified as a barrier to employment, the department of employment security or the community provider shall refer the individual to available child care service programs.

7 Network of Education and Training.

I. If after the assessment conducted by the department of employment security additional job training, education, or skills development is necessary prior to job placement, the department of employment security shall address those needs by:

(a) Referring individuals to training and apprenticeship opportunities offered by the community college system of New Hampshire;

(b) Referring individuals to the department of resources and economic development to utilize available training funds and support services;

(c) Referring individuals to education and employment programs for youth available through the department of education; or

(d) Referring individuals to training available through other colleges and training programs.

II. All industry specific skills and training will be provided for jobs in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages.

8 Job Placement.

I. Upon determining the participant is job ready, the department of employment security shall place individuals into jobs with employers in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages. This includes, but is not limited to, high labor need jobs in the fields of healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction/building trades, information technology, and hospitality. Training and job placement shall focus on:

(a) Supporting health care/safety issues: training/jobs to combat the opioid crisis, including nurses, nursing assistants, clinicians, social workers, and treatment providers at the licensed alcohol and drug addictions counselor and licensed mental health counselor levels. Additionally, jobs to address long-term care needs, home healthcare services, and expanding mental/behavioral health services.

(b) Advanced manufacturing to meet employer needs: training/jobs that include computer-aided drafting and design, electronic and mechanical engineering, precision welding, computer numerical controlled precision machining, robotics, and automation.

(c) Construction/building trades to address critical infrastructure needs: training/jobs for building roads, bridges, municipality infrastructure, and ensuring safe drinking water.

(d) Information technology: training/jobs to allow businesses to excel in an ever-increasing network dependent business environment.

(e) Hospitality-training/jobs to address the workforce shortage and support New Hampshire's tourism industry, to include but not be limited to hotel workers, restaurant workers, campground workers, lift operators, state park workers, and amusement park workers.

9 Reporting Requirement; Measurement of Outcomes.

I. The department of health and human services shall prepare a report on the outcomes of the Granite Workforce program using appropriate standard common performance measures. Program partners, as a condition of participation, shall be required to provide the department with the relevant data. Metrics to be measured shall include, but are not limited to:

(a) Degree of participation.

(b) Progress with overcoming barriers.

(c) Entry into employment.

(d) Job retention.

(e) Earnings gain.

(f) Movement within established federal poverty level measurements, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the New Hampshire health protection program.

(g) Health insurance coverage provider.

(h) Attainment of education or training, including credentials.

II. The report shall be issued to the speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2018.

10 Repeal. Sections 4-8, relative to the Granite Workforce pilot program, are repealed.

11 Effective Date.

I. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

II. Section 10 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2018.

III. The remainder of this act shall take effect October 1, 2017.

1 Purpose Statement. The purpose of this act is to encourage able-bodied, childless adults to return to work, while protecting children, and to ensure that required child support payments are being made to families.

2 New Section; Food Stamp Program. Amend RSA 161 by inserting after section 10 the following new section:

161:10-a Food Stamp Program; Program Eligibility and Administration.

I. The department of health and human services shall not apply for, accept, or renew any waiver of requirements established under 7 U.S.C. section 2015(o) without the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee, established in RSA 126-A:13.

II. The resource limit standards of the food stamp program shall not exceed the standards specified in 7 U.S.C. section 2014(g)(1), unless expressly required by federal law; provided that the department may allow higher resource limits for households with children under 18 years of age with the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee. In no case shall categorical eligibility exempting households from these resource limits be granted for any non-cash, in-kind or other benefit, unless expressly required by federal law.

III. The department of health and human services shall not apply gross income standards for food assistance higher than the standards specified in 7 U.S.C. section 2014(c) unless expressly required by federal law; provided that the department may allow higher gross income standards for households with children under 18 years of age with the prior approval of the health and human services oversight committee. In no case shall categorical eligibility exempting households from this income standard be granted for any non-cash, in-kind or other benefit, unless expressly required by federal law.

IV.(a) The department of health and human services shall elect the option pursuant to 7 C.F.R. section 273.11(o) to require individuals living with and exercising parental control over a child under the age of 18 who has an absent parent to cooperate with the department's division of child support services in establishing paternity of the child and in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order with respect to the child in accordance with section 454 (29) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. section 654 (29), in order to be eligible to participate in the food stamp program.

(b) The department shall elect the option pursuant to 7 C.F.R. section 273.11(p) to require a putative or identified obligor/parent of a child under the age of 18 to cooperate with the department's division of child support services in establishing the paternity of the child and in providing support for the child in order to be eligible to participate in the food stamp program.

(c) The inability of the putative or identified obligor/parent to comply with the requirements of subparagraph (b), as determined by the department's division of child support services or an appropriate court of law, or a finding of good cause to excuse cooperation, as determined by the department, shall preclude a determination of ineligibility to participate in the food stamp program.

3 Purpose Statement. The purpose of sections 4-10 of this act is to establish a pilot program by using allowable federal funds available from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program to end the dependence of needy parents on governmental programs by promoting job and work preparation and placing them into high labor need jobs based on the goals set forth in 45 C.F.R. section 260.20. The long-term goal of this program is to place low-income individuals into unsubsidized jobs in high labor need areas, transition them to self-sufficiency through providing career pathways with specific skills, and assist in eliminating barriers to work such as transportation and childcare. Taken together, these measures are designed to help low-income participants break the cycle of poverty and move them from living on the margin to the middle class and beyond.

4 Granite Workforce; Pilot Program Established.

I. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall use allowable funds from the TANF program to provide subsidies to employers in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages, and to create a network of assistance to remove barriers to work for low-income families. The funds shall be used to establish a pilot program, referred to as Granite Workforce, a TANF nonassistance program, which shall accept enrollments by applicants for an initial period of 6 months and which shall last for 9 months from the effective date of this section. The program shall be jointly administered by the department of health and human services and the department of employment security. No cash assistance shall be provided to eligible participants through Granite Workforce. The total cost of the pilot program shall not exceed $9,000,000 in federal TANF funds.

II. To be eligible for Granite Workforce, applicants shall be:

(a) In a household with an income under 200 percent of the federal poverty level; and

(b) Parents aged 18 through 64 with a child under age 18 in the household; or

(c) Noncustodial parents age 18 through 64 with a child under the age of 18.

III. The department of employment security shall determine eligibility and entry into the program, using nationally recognized assessment tools for vocational and job readiness assessments. Vocational assessments shall include educational needs, vocational interest, personal values, and aptitude. The department shall use the assessment results to work with the participant to produce a long-term career plan for moving into the middle class and beyond.

IV. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph II regarding program eligibility, administrative rules governing the New Hampshire employment program, adopted under RSA 541-A as chapter He-W 600, shall apply to the Granite Workforce pilot program.

5 Granite Workforce; Subsidies for Employers.

I. Upon placement of a participant into a paying job and receiving verification of employment and wages from the employer, the department of employment security shall pay the employer a subsidy of $2,000.

II. After at least 3 full months of the continued employment of the participant and receiving verification of the continued employment and wages from the employer, the department of employment security shall pay the employer a second subsidy of $2,000.

III. If an overpayment is made, the employer shall reimburse the department that amount upon being notified by the department.

6 Referral for Barriers to Employment. The department of health and human services, in consultation with the department of employment security, shall issue a request for applications (RFAs) for community providers interested in offering case management services to participants with barriers to employment. Participants shall be identified by the department of employment security using an assessment process that screens for barriers to employment including, but not limited to, transportation, child care, substance use, mental health, and domestic violence. Thereafter, the department of employment security shall refer to community providers those individuals deemed needing assistance with removing barriers to employment. When child care is identified as a barrier to employment, the department of employment security or the community provider shall refer the individual to available child care service programs.

7 Network of Education and Training.

I. If after the assessment conducted by the department of employment security additional job training, education, or skills development is necessary prior to job placement, the department of employment security shall address those needs by:

(a) Referring individuals to training and apprenticeship opportunities offered by the community college system of New Hampshire;

(b) Referring individuals to the department of resources and economic development to utilize available training funds and support services;

(c) Referring individuals to education and employment programs for youth available through the department of education; or

(d) Referring individuals to training available through other colleges and training programs.

II. All industry specific skills and training will be provided for jobs in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages.

8 Job Placement.

I. Upon determining the participant is job ready, the department of employment security shall place individuals into jobs with employers in high need areas, as determined by the department of employment security based upon workforce shortages. This includes, but is not limited to, high labor need jobs in the fields of healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction/building trades, information technology, and hospitality. Training and job placement shall focus on:

(a) Supporting health care/safety issues: training/jobs to combat the opioid crisis, including nurses, nursing assistants, clinicians, social workers, and treatment providers at the licensed alcohol and drug addictions counselor and licensed mental health counselor levels. Additionally, jobs to address long-term care needs, home healthcare services, and expanding mental/behavioral health services.

(b) Advanced manufacturing to meet employer needs: training/jobs that include computer-aided drafting and design, electronic and mechanical engineering, precision welding, computer numerical controlled precision machining, robotics, and automation.

(c) Construction/building trades to address critical infrastructure needs: training/jobs for building roads, bridges, municipality infrastructure, and ensuring safe drinking water.

(d) Information technology: training/jobs to allow businesses to excel in an ever-increasing network dependent business environment.

(e) Hospitality-training/jobs to address the workforce shortage and support New Hampshire's tourism industry, to include but not be limited to hotel workers, restaurant workers, campground workers, lift operators, state park workers, and amusement park workers.

9 Reporting Requirement; Measurement of Outcomes.

I. The department of health and human services shall prepare a report on the outcomes of the Granite Workforce program using appropriate standard common performance measures. Program partners, as a condition of participation, shall be required to provide the department with the relevant data. Metrics to be measured shall include, but are not limited to:

(a) Degree of participation.

(b) Progress with overcoming barriers.

(c) Entry into employment.

(d) Job retention.

(e) Earnings gain.

(f) Movement within established federal poverty level measurements, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the New Hampshire health protection program.

(g) Health insurance coverage provider.

(h) Attainment of education or training, including credentials.

II. The report shall be issued to the speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2018.

10 Repeal. Sections 4-8, relative to the Granite Workforce pilot program, are repealed.

11 Effective Date.

I. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

II. Section 10 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2018.

III. The remainder of this act shall take effect October 1, 2017.