2025 -- H 5392

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LC001040

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

     Introduced By: Representatives Place, Quattrocchi, Hopkins, Santucci, Newberry,
Paplauskas, and J. Brien

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2025

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 40-5.2-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-5.2 entitled "The Rhode

Island Works Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     40-5.2-11. Cash assistance.

     (a) A family or assistance unit found by the department to meet the eligibility criteria set

forth in this chapter shall be eligible to receive cash assistance as of the date a signed, written

application, signed under a penalty of perjury, is received by the department.

     (b) The family members or assistance unit shall be eligible for cash assistance for so long

as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in accordance with this chapter. Parents and

adult non-parent caretaker relatives receiving cash assistance shall be eligible so long as they meet

the terms and conditions of the work requirements of § 40-5.2-12. An adult caretaker relative shall

be eligible for assistance as a member of the assistance unit so long as he or she meets all the

eligibility requirements of this chapter.

     (c) The monthly amount of cash assistance shall be equal to the payment standard for the

family minus the countable income of the family in that month. The department is authorized to

reduce the amount of assistance in the month of application to reflect the number of the days

between the first day of the month and the effective date of the application.

     (d) A decision on the application for assistance shall be made or rejected by the department

no later than thirty (30) days following the date submitted and shall be effective as of the date of

application.

     (e) The payment standard is equal to the sum of the following: five hundred ten dollars

($510) (four hundred forty-five dollars ($445) for a family residing in subsidized housing) for the

first person; one hundred ninety-one dollars ($191) for the second person; one hundred sixty-four

dollars ($164) for the third person; and one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for each additional

person.

     (f) A family or assistance unit eligible for cash assistance pursuant to the provisions of this

section shall if otherwise qualified, be enrolled for assistance in the supplemental nutrition

assistance program (SNAP) pursuant to the provisions of chapter 6 of title 40.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

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     This act would provide that a family eligible for cash assistance pursuant to § 40-5.2-11,

shall if qualified, be provided SNAP benefits.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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