HB2955 - 571R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 8, chapter 4, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 8-521.03, to read:

START_STATUTE8-521.03. Extended foster care comprehensive service model; extended foster care success coaching program; quality review committee; reporting requirements; fund; definitions

A. WIthin ten days after the effective date of this section, the department shall prepare A scope of work for an extended foster care comprehensive service model that includes SUPportive services and required case management provided by contracted community providers for young adults who participatE in the extended foster care program. The extended foster care comprehensive service model scope of work shall include:

1. Weekly engagement with each young adult.

2. Life skills training.

3. Mental and physical health and well-being.

4. Relational permanency.

5. Education and enrollment assistance.

6. Assistance with accessing safe housing attainment and stability for young adults.

7. Career and employment planning and readiness.

8. Assistance with accessing transportation services for young adults.

9. Flexible funding to support the unique needs of the young adult, including educational services and job training or workforce development.

b. The extended foster care comprehensive service model shall include an EXTENDED foster care success coaching program for young adults in the extended foster care program. Each extended foster care success coach shall have a caseload of not more than twenty young adults. the extended foster care success coaching program shall be based on a practice that is youth driven and shall do the following:

1. PROMOTe PERMANENT CONNECTIONS.

2. sUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AND SKILL SET that enables YOUNG ADULTS TO GAIN AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT to SUPPORT their FINANCIAL NEEDS.

3. Assist YOUNG ADULTS to RESIDE IN SAFE, STABLE AND SECURE HOUSING.

4. liNK YOUNG ADULTS TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES THAT ADDRESS PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS.

5. bUILD SKILLS FOR DEVELOPing PERSONAL AGENCY.

6. eNSURe that YOUNG ADULTS HAVE THE COGNITIVE AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL TO SURVIVAL.

C. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUPERVISE AND MONITOR the SUCCESS OF THE EXTENDED FOSTER CARE SUCCESS COACHING PROGRAM.

D. Each extended foster care success coach shall:

1. Successfully complete a department-administered foster care success coach training program.

2. Possess a bachelor's or associate's degree or have equivalent credits equal to an associate's degree. In lieu of a degree or credits, an extended foster care success coach may possess skills that the coach acquired through alternative routes such as relevant job training, community college attendance, military service or an apprenticeship.

3. Have experience working with youth or young adults.

4. exhibit the belief that all young adults have the capacity to be successful in life.

E. The extended foster care success coaching program shall:

1. Operate from an EVIDENCE-based framework.

2. Ensure that the young adults served are aware of their rights to normalcy.

3. assist young adults to advocate with caregivers to experience activities and opportunities that meet individual interests.

4. Support caregivers in identifying root causes of behaviors that present barriers to transition and provide opportunities that assist young adults in healing and addressing underlying trauma.

5. Develop feedback that allows young adults to communicate their needs and satisfaction with provided services.

6. Deliver interventions that are tailored to each young adult's strengths and experiences.

F. The department shall solicit agencies to administer the extended foster care comprehensive service model within THIRTY days after the effective date of this section and select an agency within NINETY days after the effective date of this section. The department shall implement the extended foster care comprehensive service model within one hundred fifty days after the effective date of this section.

G. The department shall establish an extended foster care quality review committee within the department consisting of department staff members. The committee shall confirm that a young adult who participates in the extended foster care program meets all of the following:

1. the Eligibility criteria.

2. Has connections to supportive adults who are actively involved in the young adult's life.

3. Has a person-centered case and transition plan that supports the young adult's identified goals and FUTURE planning.

4. Is ACQUIRING individualized skills to develop the tools that are needed to thrive outside of the extended foster care program.

H. On or before November 1 of each year, the department shall submit to the joint legislative budget committee, the Senate health and human services committee, or its successor committee, and the house of representatives health and human services committee, or its successor committee, a report on the extended foster care comprehensive service model. THe report shall include data and statistics on:

1. The support and services to be offered by the extended foster care comprehensive service model.

2. The extended foster care program's Eligibility requirements.

3. The young adult's program responsibilities.

4. Case and transition planning opportunities.

5. Health insurance coverage for young adults in the extended foster care program.

6. Educational opportunities for young adults in the extended foster care program.

7. Opportunities for mentors through the extended foster care program.

8. Transportation services for young adults in the extended foster care program, including obtaining a driver license.

9. Housing, including semisupervised living arrangements if those arrangements best meet the young adult's needs.

I. The DEPARTMENT shall provide to the joint legislative budget committee a quarterly report that includes all of the following:

1. The number of young adults served in the extended foster care comprehensive service model.

2. The young adult's PARTICIPATION in regular reviews with extended foster care staff.

3. Other performance measures as updated by the extended foster care quality review committee and as determined by the chairperson of the joint legislative budget committee.

J. The extended foster care comprehensive service model fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The department shall use monies in the fund for the purposes prescribed in this section.

K. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Department" means the department of child safety.

2. "Young adult" means a person who is at least seventeen and one-half years of age and under twenty-one years of age and who participates or will participate in the extended foster care program established pursuant to section 8-521.02. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 28-472, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE28-472. Fleet operation services; records; rules; vehicle replacement rate; participating agencies; coordinator; public service announcements; annual report

A. The director shall operate the state motor vehicle fleet for the purpose of providing fleet operation services to agencies. The director shall make fleet operation services available to an agency on the request of the chosen representative for that agency.

B. The director is responsible for administering the state motor vehicle fleet, including:

1. Procuring motor vehicles for the state motor vehicle fleet.

2. Notwithstanding title 41, chapter 23, article 8, administering the surplus and sale of motor vehicles in the state motor vehicle fleet.

C. The director shall provide for detailed cost, operation, maintenance, mileage and custody records for each state-owned motor vehicle.

D. The director may adopt rules necessary to administer this article.

E. The department shall recover all costs for fleet operation services that are provided to an agency. Each agency shall pay from available monies the cost of fleet operation services received from the department at a rate determined by the director, including a separate vehicle replacement rate for motor vehicle replacements. The director shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, monies received for fleet operation services in the state fleet operations fund established by section 28-475. The director shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, monies received to pay the vehicle replacement rate in the state vehicle replacement fund established by section 28-476.

F. The following agencies are excluded from participation in the state motor vehicle fleet:

1. The department of public safety.

2. The department of economic security.

3. The state department of corrections.

4. Universities and community colleges.

5. The cotton research and protection council.

6. The Arizona commerce authority.

7. The department of child safety.

8. 7. The department of transportation.

G. The director shall appoint a state motor vehicle fleet coordinator.

H. An agency may not purchase, lease or rent a motor vehicle unless the agency is excluded from participation in the state motor vehicle fleet by subsection F of this section. The director may withhold registration for any motor vehicle that is purchased, leased or rented in violation of this subsection.

I. Notwithstanding subsection H of this section, an agency that administers a separate account pursuant to section 28-476, subsection C shall control the purchase, lease or rental of motor vehicles. Vehicles purchased, leased or rented under this subsection shall be used by the agency only for the agency's purposes.

J. An agency listed in subsection F of this section may elect to participate in the state motor vehicle fleet by executing an interagency service agreement between the agency and the department.

K. A governmental budget unit of this state that is not an agency may elect to participate in the state motor vehicle fleet by entering into an interagency service agreement with the department.

L. An agency, including an agency listed in subsection F of this section, may accept compensation for placing public service announcements on state-owned motor vehicles, and monies received shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, in the state general fund. The agency director shall determine the appropriateness of the announcements, may exempt any motor vehicles that are not suitable for advertising and may contract with private parties to design and place the announcements.

M. On or before October 1 of each year, the department shall submit to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting a report that accounts for all monies deposited in the state fleet operations fund established by section 28-475 and the state vehicle replacement fund established by section 28-476, including any monies allocated to separate agency accounts. The report shall also include the number of motor vehicles that were replaced in the prior fiscal year, the number of motor vehicles at each agency, the replacement life cycle for each motor vehicle and the number of motor vehicles the department identifies as not requiring replacement.END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 41-608, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE41-608. Veterans' donations fund; grants

A. The veterans' donations fund is established consisting of monies, gifts and contributions donated to the department and monies deposited pursuant to sections 28-2414, 28-2428, 28-2431, 28-2447, 28-2454, 28-2470.10, 28-2473, 28-2474, 28-2475, 28-2476 and 43-620. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. The monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. At the beginning of each fiscal year, the department may transfer up to fifteen percent of the fund balance from the preceding fiscal year to the state homes for veterans trust fund established by section 41-608.01. The department shall adopt rules or policies for grants of less than $5,000 that encourage as much competition as practicable.

B. The director or the director's designee may solicit and receive donations, including in-kind donations, from the public for veterans. The director shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, the monetary donations in the veterans' donations fund. Monies in the fund are subject to state auditing procedures. Except for monies deposited pursuant to sections 28-2431 and 28-2447, the donations may be used for the benefit of the veterans within this state as grants, subject to chapter 24 of this title, if applicable.

C. The director shall establish a separate subaccount in the veterans' donations fund for the deposit of monies received pursuant to section 28-2431, subsection C. The monies in the subaccount shall be used for the construction and maintenance of the enduring freedom memorial authorized pursuant to section 41-1363 for placement in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

D. The director shall establish a separate subaccount in the veterans' donations fund for the deposit of monies received pursuant to section 28-2447, subsection F. The monies in the subaccount shall be used for the benefit of women veterans in this state, including providing shelter to homeless women veterans as grants, subject to chapter 24 of this title, if applicable.

E. The director shall establish a separate subaccount in the veterans' donations fund for the deposit of monies received pursuant to section 28-2454, subsection C. The first $32,000 in the subaccount shall be reimbursed to the person that provides the $32,000 pursuant to section 28-2454, subsection A. The director shall annually allocate monies from the subaccount to a foundation that is qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the United States internal revenue code for federal income tax purposes and that is the nation's oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to children of United States military members. The foundation must:

1. Have been in existence for at least fifty-two years.

2. Have provided more than thirty-three thousand scholarships that are valued at almost $90,000,000.

3. Have a mission that includes honoring marines and educating their children.

4. Award scholarship monies to children of marines and navy corpsmen who were killed or wounded in combat or who have demonstrated financial need.

F. The director shall establish a separate subaccount in the veterans' donations fund for the deposit of monies received pursuant to section 28-2470.10, subsection C. The first $32,000 in the subaccount shall be reimbursed to the person that provides the $32,000 pursuant to section 28-2470.10, subsection A. The director shall annually allocate monies from the subaccount to a foundation that is qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the United States internal revenue code for federal income tax purposes. The foundation must:

1. Have been in existence for at least twenty years.

2. Have a mission that includes providing college scholarships to:

(a) The sons and daughters of those who have served the United States honorably as soldiers in the United States army.

(b) The spouses of enlisted soldiers on active duty in the United States army.

3. Envision increasing its fundraising and visibility to encourage more applicants to apply for scholarships and to provide larger scholarships to an increasing number of deserving applicants to both:

(a) Reward army families for the sacrifices that army soldiers make every day to serve their nation.

(b) Help the spouses and children of army soldiers become leaders in society.

4. Award scholarship monies to:

(a) Children of former United States army members who were killed while serving in the United States army or who received an honorable discharge or medical discharge.

(b) Children of United States army members in good standing serving in regular active duty, active duty reserve or active duty national guard United States army members in good standing.

(c) Spouses of enlisted United States army members in good standing serving in regular active duty, active duty reserve or active duty national guard United States army members in good standing.

G. The director shall inventory and account for the use of any tangible personal property donated to the fund.

H. On notice from the director, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 41-608.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE41-608.01. State homes for veterans trust fund; purpose

A. The state homes for veterans trust fund is established. The director shall administer the fund for the sole purpose of operating and maintaining state-operated nursing and domiciliary homes for Arizona veterans.

B. The fund consists of monies deposited by the director from monies generated by operating the Arizona veterans' homes, and monies deposited pursuant to section 41-603.01 and monies transferred by the department pursuant to section 41-608.

C. Monies in the fund are subject to annual appropriation by the legislature. The fund is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Any monies in the fund remaining unexpended or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year do not revert to the state general fund.

D. On notice from the director, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Title 41, chapter 14, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 41-1970, 41-1971 and 41-1972, to read:

START_STATUTE41-1970. Temporary assistance for needy families fund

A. The temporary assistance for needy families fund is established consisting of monies received by the department from federal deposits authorized pursuant to 45 Code of Federal regulations part 260. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated.

B. The department shall deposit all federal monies received under the federal temporary assistance for needy families grant in the fund before making an expenditure. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE41-1971. Child care and development fund

A. The child care and development fund is established consisting of monies received by the DEPARTMENT from federal deposits authorized pursuant to 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 98. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated.

B. The department shall deposit all federal monies received under the child care and development block grant in the fund before making an expenditure. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE41-1972. Workforce innovation and opportunity act fund

A. The workforce innovation and opportunity act fund is established consisting of monies received by the department from federal deposits authorized pursuant to the workforce innovation and opportunity act (P.L. 113-128; 128 Stat. 1425) and the regulations adopted pursuant to the act. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated.

B. The DEPARTMENT shall deposit all federal monies received under the workforce innovation and opportunity act in the fund before making an expenditure. END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Title 46, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 46-232, 46-233 and 46-234, to read:

START_STATUTE46-232. Supplemental nutrition assistance program; eligibility evaluations; public posting; definitions

A. To determine or evaluate SNAP eligibility, the department of economic security shall:

1. Enter into a data matching agreement with the department of Revenue to identify households with lottery or gambling winnings of $3,000 or more and, to the extent permissible under federal law, to treat the data obtained as verified on receipt. To the extent the data may not be verified on receipt, the department of economic security shall refer those households with lottery or gambling winnings that are equal to or greater than the resource limit for elderly or disabled households as defined in 7 Code of federal Regulations section 273.8(b) to the department of economic security for further investigation.

2. On at least a monthly basis, review information that is provided by the department of health services and that identifies individuals who have had a change in CIRCUMSTANCES that may affect SNAP eligibility.

3. On at least a quarterly basis, review the department of economic security's information that identifies individuals who have had a change in circumstances that may affect SNAP eligibility, including a CHANGE in unemployment benefits, employment status or wages.

4. On at least a monthly basis, review the department of economic security's information that identifies individuals who have had a change in circumstances that may affect SNAP eligibility, including potential changes in residency as identified by out-of-state electronic benefit transfer card transactions.

5. On at least a monthly basis, review information that is provided by the state DEPARTMENT of corrections and that identifies individuals who have had a change in circumstances that may affect SNAP eligibility.

6. On at least a quarterly basis, review information that is provided by the department of revenue and that identifies households that have had a change in circumstances that may affect SNAP eligibility, including potential changes in income, wages or residency as identified by tax records.

7. On at least a quarterly basis, post on the department's public website the following aggregated amounts that were obtained from noncompliance and fraud investigations related to SNAP, excluding confidential and personally identifiable information:

(a) The number of SNAP cases that were investigated for intentional program violations or fraud.

(b) The number of SNAP cases that were referred to the attorney general's office for prosecution.

(d) The amount of Monies recovered.

(e) The amount of monies spent for improper payments and ineligible RECIPIENTS as a percentage of cases that were investigated and reviewed.

(f) The amount of monies spent by electronic benefit card transactions that occurred outside of this state, categorized by state.

B. On at least a monthly basis, the department of health services and the department of economic security shall review the following information from federal sources to assess a recipient's continued eligibility for SNAP:

1. Earned income information, death register information, incarceration records, supplemental security income information, beneficiary records, earnings information and pension information that is maintained by the United States social security administration.

2. Income and employment information that is maintained in the national directory of new hires database and child support enforcement data that is maintained by the united states department of health and human services.

3. Payment and earnings information that is maintained by the united states department of housing and urban development.

4. National fleeing felon information that is maintained by the United States federal bureau of investigation.

C. If the department receives information that identifies an individual who is enrolled in SNAP and that indicates a change in circumstances that may affect that individual's SNAP eligibility, the department shall review that individual's case.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Department" means the department of economic security.

2. "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE46-233. Supplemental nutrition assistance program; mandatory employment and training

The department of economic security shall require able-bodied adults who are under sixty years of age and who are receiving supplemental nutrition assistance to participate in a mandatory employment and training program, as prescribed in 7 United States Code Section 2015(d), unless the recipient is:

1. In compliance with the work registration requirements under title IV of the social security act or the federal-state unemployment compensation system. A recipient who is noncompliant with the work registration requirements under Title IV of the social security act or the federal-state unemployment compensation system is noncompliant with the work requirements of 7 United States Code section 2015(d).

2. A parent or other member of a household who is responsible for the care of an incapacitated person or a dependent child who is under six years of age.

3. A bona fide student who is enrolled at least half time in any recognized school, training program or institution of higher education unless the recipient is ineligible to participate pursuant to 7 United States Code section 2015(e).

4. A regular participant in a drug addiction or an alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation program.

5. Employed at least thirty hours per week or receives weekly earnings that equal the minimum hourly rate under the fair labor standards act of 1938 (52 Stat. 1060; 29 United States Code section 201), multiplied by thirty hours.

6. Sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age and is not the head of a household or attends school or is enrolled in an employment training program on at least a half-time basis. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE46-234. Department of economic security; supplemental nutrition assistance program; work requirement waivers; discretionary exemption prohibition

A. The department of economic security may not seek, apply for, accept or renew any work requirement waiver for able-bodied adults without dependents pursuant to 7 United States Code section 2015(o)(4) unless:

1. It is required by federal law.

2. It is authorized by state law.

B. The department of economic security may not exercise this state's option to provide any exemptions from the work requirement under 7 United States Code section 2015(o)(6)(f) unless authorized by state law. END_STATUTE

Sec. 7. Section 46-297.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE46-297.01. Electronic benefit transfer cards; replacements; out-of-state spending; fraud investigation

A. The department shall send each recipient who requests two replacement cards within a twelve-month period a letter informing the recipient that another request will initiate an investigation by the department to determine whether there is fraud. If a third-party vendor is administering replacement cards directly to recipients, the vendor shall notify the department after a recipient requests a second replacement card in a twelve-month period and makes any subsequent request thereafter.

B. After a recipient's request for a third replacement card within any twelve-month period, and any subsequent request thereafter, the department shall schedule an interview with the recipient and, if the department has been granted a waiver, determine whether there is fraud before issuing a new card. The recipient's request for a fourth replacement card requires the department to schedule an interview with the recipient to determine whether there is fraud before issuing a new card. The department shall request any necessary federal waivers to comply with this section.

C. If a recipient uses more than ten percent of the recipient's electronic benefit transfer card balance in a six-month period on out-of-state purchases, the department shall schedule an interview with the recipient to determine whether there is fraud.

D. On at least a monthly basis, the department shall use the data from an electronic benefit transfer card to identify any individual who has made purchases exclusively out-of-state over a ninety-day period. The department shall contact the individual who is identified within thirty days to determine whether that individual resides in this state. If the individual does not reside in this state, the department shall remove that individual within thirty days after contacting the individual. Within fifteen days after the individual's removal, the department shall refer the individual to the United States attorney's office for the district where the individual claims to reside. END_STATUTE

Sec. 8. Department of economic security; drug testing; TANF cash benefits recipients

During fiscal year 2025-2026, the department of economic security shall screen and test each adult recipient who is otherwise eligible for temporary assistance for needy families cash benefits and who the department has reasonable cause to believe engages in the illegal use of controlled substances. Any recipient who tests positive for the use of a controlled substance that was not prescribed for the recipient by a licensed health care provider is ineligible to receive benefits for a period of one year.