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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
child care assistance; education; training.
Purpose
Allows the Department of Economic Security (DES) to waive a portion of or the entire work requirement for a person receiving full-time child care assistance that meets eligibility requirements.
Background
DES must provide child care assistance to eligible families that are attempting to achieve independence from a cash assistance program and need child care assistance. DES must provide child care assistance to eligible families that are transitioning off cash assistance due to increased earnings to accept or maintain employment. DES is allowed to provide child care assistance to support eligible families with incomes of 165 percent or less of the Federal Poverty Level at the time of the application to accept or maintain employment (A.R.S. § 46-803).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows
DES to waive a portion of or the entire work requirement for a person receiving
full-time child care assistance who is enrolled full-time in an accredited
educational institution, remedial education activity or employment training
program which is related to employment goals that will lead to a:
a) vocational, technical or trade certification;
b) associate degree; or
c) bachelor's degree.
2. Requires the person receiving the child care assistance to confirm their intent to obtain education or training that will lead to employment in an occupation that has starting wages that will be sufficient to eliminate the need for public assistance.
3. Requires DES to review the education or training program the person is pursuing and verify that the program is related to employment goals.
4. Requires the person to demonstrate satisfactory progress to DES in the education or training program.
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 5, 2021
LMM/kja