ARTICLE 23 SUBSTITUTE A

RELATING TO GENERAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE – HARDSHIP

SECTION 1. Hardship Contingency Fund – FY 2008 – Out of the general revenue sum appropriated to the department of human services in Article 1 for general public assistance, the sum of eight hundred seventy three thousand nine hundred forty dollars ($873,940) may be used as a hardship contingency fund for the purposes and subject to the limitations hereinafter provided. The state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his or her order upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sums or such portions thereof as may be required from time to time upon receipt by him or her of duly authenticated vouchers. From the aforesaid appropriation for hardship contingency, the director of the department of human services, in his or her sole discretion, may authorize payments of cash assistance benefits up to two hundred dollars ($200) per month upon a showing of hardship by an individual who is eligible for general public assistance medical benefits under §40-6-3.1; provided, however, that individuals who are determined eligible for medical assistance (“Medicaid”) under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §1396 et seq., or who are determined eligible to receive an interim cash assistance payment for the disabled pursuant to §40-6-28, shall not be eligible for assistance under this section. The director shall not be required to promulgate any new, additional or separate rules or regulations in connection with his or her disbursement of the contingency fund created hereby.

SECTION 2. This article shall take effect as of July 1, 2007.