CHAPTER 319s
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

PART I
DEFINITIONS. GENERAL PROVISIONS

      Sec. 17b-77. (Formerly Sec. 17-82b). *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Application for aid. Application for aid under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, temporary family assistance program and food stamps program, shall be made to the Commissioner of Social Services. The name and address of each such applicant shall be recorded with the commissioner. Such application, in the case of temporary family assistance, shall be made by the supervising relative, his authorized representative, or, in the case of an individual who is incapacitated, someone acting responsibly for him and shall contain the name and the exact residence of such applicant, the name, place and date of birth of each dependent child, the Social Security number of the supervising relative and of each dependent child, and such other information as is required by the commissioner. If such supervising relative or any such child does not have a Social Security number, the commissioner shall assist in obtaining a Social Security number for each such person seeking public assistance and during the time required to obtain such Social Security numbers the supervising relative and children shall not be precluded from eligibility under this section. By such application, the applicant shall assign to the commissioner the right of support, present, past and future, due all persons seeking assistance and shall assist the commissioner in pursuing support obligations due from the absent parent. Notice of such assignment shall be conspicuously placed on said application and shall be explained to the applicant at the time of application. All information required to be provided to the commissioner as a condition of such eligibility under federal law shall be so provided by the applicant, provided, no person shall be determined to be ineligible if the applicant has good cause for the refusal to provide information concerning the absent parent or if the provision of such information would be against the best interests of the dependent child or children, or any of them. The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt by regulation, in accordance with chapter 54, standards as to good cause and best interests of the child. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the commissioner as to the determination of good cause or the best interests of such child or children may request a fair hearing in accordance with the provisions of sections 17b-60 and 17b-61. All statements made by the applicant concerning income, resources and any other matters pertaining to eligibility shall be certified to by the applicant as true and correct under penalty of false statement, and for any such certified statement which is untrue or incorrect such applicant shall be subject to the penalties provided for false statement under section 17b-97.

      (1969, P.A. 730, S. 16; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 93; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-334, S. 3, 12; P.A. 77-614, S. 608, 610; P.A. 80-55; P.A. 87-171, S. 1; 87-589, S. 25, 87; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 27, 165.)

      *Note: On and after October 1, 2008, this section, as amended by section 1 of public act 07-247, is to read as follows:

      "Sec. 17b-77. (Formerly Sec. 17-82b). Application for aid. Application for aid under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, temporary family assistance program and food stamps program, shall be made to the Commissioner of Social Services. The name and address of each such applicant shall be recorded with the commissioner. Such application, in the case of temporary family assistance, shall be made by the supervising relative, his authorized representative, or, in the case of an individual who is incapacitated, someone acting responsibly for him and shall contain the name and the exact residence of such applicant, the name, place and date of birth of each dependent child, the Social Security number of the supervising relative and of each dependent child, and such other information as is required by the commissioner. If such supervising relative or any such child does not have a Social Security number, the commissioner shall assist in obtaining a Social Security number for each such person seeking public assistance and during the time required to obtain such Social Security numbers the supervising relative and children shall not be precluded from eligibility under this section. By such application, the applicant shall assign to the commissioner the right of support, present, past and future, due all persons seeking assistance and shall assist the commissioner in pursuing support obligations due from the noncustodial parent. On and after October 1, 2008, such assignment under the temporary family assistance program shall apply only to such support rights as accrue during the period of assistance, not to exceed the total amount of assistance provided to the family under said program. Notice of such assignment shall be conspicuously placed on said application and shall be explained to the applicant at the time of application. All information required to be provided to the commissioner as a condition of such eligibility under federal law shall be so provided by the applicant, provided, no person shall be determined to be ineligible if the applicant has good cause for the refusal to provide information concerning the noncustodial parent or if the provision of such information would be against the best interests of the dependent child or children, or any of them. The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt by regulation, in accordance with chapter 54, standards as to good cause and best interests of the child. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the commissioner as to the determination of good cause or the best interests of such child or children may request a fair hearing in accordance with the provisions of sections 17b-60 and 17b-61. All statements made by the applicant concerning income, resources and any other matters pertaining to eligibility shall be certified to by the applicant as true and correct under penalty of false statement, and for any such certified statement which is untrue or incorrect such applicant shall be subject to the penalties provided for false statement under section 17b-97."

      (1969, P.A. 730, S. 16; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 93; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-334, S. 3, 12; P.A. 77-614, S. 608, 610; P.A. 80-55; P.A. 87-171, S. 1; 87-589, S. 25, 87; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 27, 165; P.A. 07-247, S. 1.)

      History: 1971 act replaced perjury penalty with false statement penalty and deleted reference to Sec. 53-143; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with commissioner of social services; P.A. 76-334 required application to contain applicable social security numbers, added provisions re assistance until numbers can be obtained, clarified responsibilities of commissioner and supervising relative and added provisions setting forth circumstances under which required information need not be given, giving commissioner power to make regulations and granting persons aggrieved by decision a fair hearing; P.A. 77-614 replaced social services commissioner with commissioner of income maintenance, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-55 required notice of assignment to be conspicuous part of application and required its explanation to supervising relative; P.A. 87-171 removed language providing for application to the local officer of the town the applicant resides in, added provision for application by an authorized representative of the supervising relative and in the case of an incapacitated individual, someone acting responsibly for him and made technical changes; P.A. 87-589 replaced reference to Sec. 4-168(b) with reference to chapter 54; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-82b transferred to Sec. 17b-77 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 replaced a reference to aid to dependent children with temporary family assistance and made a technical change, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 07-247 replaced "absent parent" with "noncustodial parent" and provided that on and after October 1, 2008, assignment under temporary family assistance program shall apply only to support rights that accrue during period of assistance, not to exceed the total amount of assistance provided to family under the program, effective October 1, 2008.

      Sec. 17b-93. (Formerly Sec. 17-83e). Claim of state for repayment of aid. Exceptions. Regulations. (a) If a beneficiary of aid under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, aid to families with dependent children program, temporary family assistance program or state-administered general assistance program has or acquires property of any kind or interest in any property, estate or claim of any kind, except moneys received for the replacement of real or personal property, the state of Connecticut shall have a claim subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, which shall have priority over all other unsecured claims and unrecorded encumbrances, against such beneficiary for the full amount paid, subject to the provisions of section 17b-94, to him or in his behalf under said programs; and, in addition thereto, the parents of an aid to dependent children beneficiary, a state-administered general assistance beneficiary or a temporary family assistance beneficiary shall be liable to repay, subject to the provisions of said section 17b-94, to the state the full amount of any such aid paid to or in behalf of either parent, his spouse, and his child or children. The state of Connecticut shall have a lien against property of any kind or interest in any property, estate or claim of any kind of the parents of an aid to dependent children beneficiary, in addition and not in substitution of its claim, for amounts owing under any order for support of any court or any family support magistrate, including any arrearage under such order, provided household goods and other personal property identified in section 52-352b, real property pursuant to section 17b-79, as long as such property is used as a home for the beneficiary and money received for the replacement of real or personal property, shall be exempt from such lien.

      (b) Any person who received cash benefits under the aid to families with dependent children program, the temporary family assistance program or the state-administered general assistance program, when such person was under eighteen years of age, shall not be liable to repay the state for such assistance.

      (c) No claim shall be made, or lien applied, against any payment made pursuant to chapter 135, any payment made pursuant to section 47-88d or 47-287, any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or employment discrimination case, any court-ordered retroactive rent abatement, including any made pursuant to subsection (e) of section 47a-14h, section 47a-4a, 47a-5, or 47a-57, or any security deposit refund pursuant to subsection (d) of section 47a-21 paid to a beneficiary of assistance under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, aid to families with dependent children program, temporary family assistance program or state-administered general assistance program or paid to any person who has been supported wholly, or in part, by the state, in accordance with section 17b-223, in a humane institution.

      (d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, whenever funds are collected pursuant to this section or section 17b-94, and the person who otherwise would have been entitled to such funds is subject to a court-ordered current or arrearage child support payment obligation in a IV-D support case, such funds shall first be paid to the state for reimbursement of Medicaid funds granted to such person for medical expenses incurred for injuries related to a legal claim by such person which was the subject of the state's lien and such funds shall then be paid to the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement for distribution pursuant to the federally mandated child support distribution system implemented pursuant to subsection (j) of section 17b-179. The remainder, if any, shall be paid to the state for payment of previously provided assistance through the state supplement program, medical assistance program, aid to families with dependent children program, temporary family assistance program or state-administered general assistance program.

      (e) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, establishing criteria and procedures for adjustment of the claim of the state of Connecticut under subsection (a) of this section. The purpose of any such adjustment shall be to encourage the positive involvement of noncustodial parents in the lives of their children and to encourage noncustodial parents to begin making regular support payments.

      (1969, P.A. 730, S. 28; P.A. 76-334, S. 5, 12; P.A. 80-483, S. 73, 186; P.A. 81-18; P.A. 83-581, S. 30, 40; P.A. 85-564, S. 11, 12; P.A. 86-315, S. 1, 5; 86-359, S. 27, 44; P.A. 87-339, S. 1; P.A. 97-312, S. 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 40, 165; P.A. 99-279, S. 5; P.A. 01-207, S. 2, 12; P.A. 05-280, S. 44; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 80; P.A. 07-44, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 76-334 made section applicable to those who have property as well as those who afterwards acquire property and added provisions re liens for amounts owing for court-ordered support; P.A. 80-483 replaced reference to repealed Sec. 52-352 with reference to Secs. 52-352a to 52-352e; P.A. 81-18 deleted a provision that reimbursement for claims made after October 1, 1959, be restricted to medical disbursements actually made for the care of a beneficiary; P.A. 83-581 replaced "other personal property identified in sections 52-352a to 52-352c, inclusive" with "other personal property identified in section 52-352b"; P.A. 85-564 added "subject to the provisions of section 17-83f" in two places; P.A. 86-315 made a technical change in Subsec. (a) and added a new Subsec. (b) which exempted any person under 18 years of age, who received cash benefits under the AFDC program, from repaying the state for the assistance; P.A. 86-359 added reference to support orders issued by family support magistrates; P.A. 87-339 specified instances in which no claims shall be made or liens applied; Sec. 17-83e transferred to Sec. 17b-93 in 1995; P.A. 97-312 amended Subsec. (a) by exempting "moneys received for the replacement of real or personal property" from claim by the state for repayment of aid; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-279 added a new Subsec. (d) providing that whenever funds are collected by the state through claims or liens and the person otherwise entitled to such funds is subject to a court-ordered child support payment obligation, such funds shall first be paid to the state for reimbursement of Medicaid funds and then be paid to the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement for distribution and the remainder, if any, shall be paid to the state for payment of previously provided public assistance; P.A. 01-207 added Subsec. (e) requiring commissioner to adopt regulations to establish criteria and procedures for adjustment of the state's claim under Subsec. (a) re noncustodial parents, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (c) to add "any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or employment discrimination case"; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 changed effective date of P.A. 05-280, from October 1, 2005, to July 1, 2005, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 07-44 amended Subsec. (c) to add "or paid to any person who has been supported wholly, or in part, by the state, in accordance with section 17b-223, in a humane institution", effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-99. (Formerly Sec. 17-83k). Vendor fraud penalties. Distribution of medical assistance program rules. Regulations. Audits of service providers. (a) Any vendor found guilty of vendor fraud under sections 53a-290 to 53a-296, inclusive, shall be subject to forfeiture or suspension of any franchise or license held by such vendor from the state in accordance with this subsection, after hearing in the manner provided for in sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and 4-181a. Any vendor convicted of vendor fraud under sections 53a-290 to 53a-296, inclusive, shall have such license or franchise revoked. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude any board or commission established under chapters 369 to 376, inclusive, 378 to 381, inclusive, and 383 to 388, inclusive, and the Department of Public Health with respect to professions under its jurisdiction which have no board or commission from taking any action authorized in section 19a-17. Any vendor who is convicted in any state or federal court of a crime involving fraud in the Medicare program or Medicaid program or aid to families with dependent children program or state-administered general assistance program or temporary family assistance program or state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program or any federal or state energy assistance program or general assistance program or state-funded child care program or the refugee program shall be terminated from such programs, effective upon conviction, except that the Commissioner of Social Services may delay termination for a period he deems sufficient to protect the health and well-being of beneficiaries receiving services from such vendor. A vendor who is ineligible for federal financial participation shall be ineligible for participation in such programs. No vendor shall be eligible for reimbursement for any goods provided or services performed by a person convicted of a crime involving fraud in such programs. The convicted person may request a hearing concerning such ineligibility for reimbursement pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and 4-181a provided such request is filed in writing with the Commissioner of Social Services within ten days of the date of written notice by the commissioner to the person of such ineligibility. The commissioner shall give notice of such ineligibility to such vendors by means of publication in the Connecticut Law Journal following the expiration of said ten-day hearing request period, if no timely request has been filed, or following the decision on the hearing. The Commissioner of Social Services may take such steps as necessary to inform the public of the conviction and ineligibility for reimbursement. No vendor or person so terminated or denied reimbursement shall be readmitted to or be eligible for reimbursement in such programs. Any sums paid as a result of vendor fraud under sections 53a-290 to 53a-296, inclusive, may be recovered in an action brought by the state against such person.

      (b) For the purpose of determining compliance with subsection (a) of this section, all vendors shall notify the commissioner within thirty days after the date of employment or conviction, whichever is later, of the identity, interest and extent of services performed by any person convicted of a crime involving fraud in the Medicare program or Medicaid program or aid to families with dependent children program or state-administered general assistance program or temporary family assistance program or state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program or any federal or state energy assistance program or general assistance program or state-funded child care program or the refugee program. Prior to the commissioner's acceptance of a provider agreement or at any time upon written request by the commissioner, the vendor shall furnish the commissioner with the identity of any person convicted of a crime involving fraud in such programs who has an ownership or control interest in the vendor or who is an agent or managing employee. The commissioner shall terminate, refuse to enter into or renew an agreement with a vendor, except a vendor providing room and board and services pursuant to section 17b-340, if such convicted person has such interest or is such agent or employee. In the case of a vendor providing room and board and services pursuant to said section 17b-340, the commissioner may terminate, refuse to enter into or renew an agreement after consideration of any adverse impact on beneficiaries of such termination or refusal.

      (c) The Department of Social Services shall distribute to all vendors who are providers in the medical assistance program a copy of the rules, regulations, standards and laws governing the program. The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt by regulation in the manner provided for in sections 4-166 to 4-176, inclusive, administrative sanctions against providers in the Medicare program or Medicaid program or aid to families with dependent children program or state-funded child care program or state-administered general assistance program or temporary family assistance program or state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program including suspension from the program, for any violations of the rules, regulations, standards or law. The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to provide for the withholding of payments currently due in order to offset money previously obtained as the result of error or fraud. The department shall notify the proper professional society and licensing agency of any violations of this section.

      (d) The Commissioner of Social Services, or any entity with whom the commissioner contracts, for the purpose of conducting an audit of a service provider that participates as provider of services in a program operated or administered by the department pursuant to this chapter or chapter 319t, 319v, 319y or 319ff, shall conduct any such audit in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection "provider" means a person, public agency, private agency or proprietary agency that is licensed, certified or otherwise approved by the commissioner to supply services authorized by the programs set forth in said chapters.

      (1) Not less than thirty days prior to the commencement of any such audit, the commissioner, or any entity with whom the commissioner contracts to conduct an audit of a participating provider, shall provide written notification of the audit to such provider, unless the commissioner, or any entity with whom the commissioner contracts to conduct an audit of a participating provider makes a good faith determination that (A) the health or safety of a recipient of services is at risk; or (B) the provider is engaging in vendor fraud.

      (2) Any clerical error, including, but not limited to, recordkeeping, typographical, scrivener's or computer error, discovered in a record or document produced for any such audit, shall not of itself constitute a wilful violation of program rules unless proof of intent to commit fraud or otherwise violate program rules is established.

      (3) A finding of overpayment or underpayment to a provider in a program operated or administered by the department pursuant to this chapter or chapter 319t, 319v, 319y or 319ff, shall not be based on extrapolated projections unless (A) there is a sustained or high level of payment error involving the provider, (B) documented educational intervention has failed to correct the level of payment error, or (C) the value of the claims in aggregate exceeds one hundred fifty thousand dollars on an annual basis.

      (4) A provider, in complying with the requirements of any such audit, shall be allowed not less than thirty days to provide documentation in connection with any discrepancy discovered and brought to the attention of such provider in the course of any such audit.

      (5) The commissioner, or any entity with whom the commissioner contracts, for the purpose of conducting an audit of a provider of any of the programs operated or administered by the department pursuant to this chapter or chapter 319t, 319v, 319y or 319ff, shall produce a preliminary written report concerning any audit conducted pursuant to this subsection, and such preliminary report shall be provided to the provider that was the subject of the audit, not more than sixty days after the conclusion of such audit.

      (6) The commissioner, or any entity with whom the commissioner contracts, for the purpose of conducting an audit of a provider of any of the programs operated or administered by the department pursuant to this chapter or chapter 319t, 319v, 319y or 319ff, shall, following the issuance of the preliminary report pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection, hold an exit conference with any provider that was the subject of any audit pursuant to this subsection for the purpose of discussing the preliminary report.

      (7) The commissioner, or any entity with which the commissioner contracts, for the purpose of conducting an audit of a service provider, shall produce a final written report concerning any audit conducted pursuant to this subsection. Such final written report shall be provided to the provider that was the subject of the audit not more than sixty days after the date of the exit conference conducted pursuant to subdivision (6) of this subsection, unless the commissioner, or any entity with which the commissioner contracts, for the purpose of conducting an audit of a service provider, agrees to a later date or there are other referrals or investigations pending concerning the provider.

      (8) Any provider aggrieved by a decision contained in a final written report issued pursuant to subdivision (7) of this subsection, may, not later than thirty days after the receipt of the final report, request, in writing, a review on all items of aggrievement. Such request shall contain a detailed written description of each specific item of aggrievement. The designee of the commissioner who presides over the review shall be impartial and shall not be an employee of the Department of Social Services Office of Quality Assurance or an employee of an entity with whom the commissioner contracts for the purpose of conducting an audit of a service provider.

      (9) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any audit conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit established within the Office of the Chief State's Attorney.

      (P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-558, S. 2; P.A. 76-242, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 587, 608, 610; P.A. 78-221, S. 1-3; 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 81-41, S. 1, 2; P.A. 82-190, S. 1, 2; P.A. 83-179; P.A. 84-235, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-324; P.A. 88-176; 88-317, S. 71, 107; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-169, S. 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 45, 165; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-2, S. 22, 53; P.A. 05-195, S. 1; P.A. 06-196, S. 131; P.A. 07-217, S. 73.)

      History: P.A. 75-420 allowed substitution of department of social services for welfare department in P.A. 75-558 which created the section; P.A. 76-242 included vendors providing services to recipients under Title XIX of Social Security Act in prohibitions of Subsec. (a), added reference to hearing in Subsec. (b) and added Subsec. (c) re adoption of regulations and distribution of rules to vendors; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner and department of social services with commissioner and department of income maintenance; P.A. 78-221 prohibited presenting false claim for payment with intent to defraud and added prohibition against accepting payments in excess of amounts due in Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (d) imposing five-year limitation on prosecution; P.A. 81-41 added the requirement in Subsec. (b) that vendors convicted of medical assistance fraud be terminated from the program and provided the procedure for their readmission, and in Subsec. (c) empowered commissioner to adopt regulations re withholding of payments due to offset money previously obtained through error or fraud; P.A. 82-190 extended applicability of Subsec. (b) to include vendors convicted of a crime involving fraud in the aid to families with dependent children program, the state supplement to the Federal Supplemental Security Income Program or any federal or state energy assistance program or general assistance program; P.A. 83-179 defined the term "vendor," added the exception from termination upon conviction to protect the health and well-being of beneficiaries, added the provisions re ineligibility for reimbursement for goods or services performed by a person convicted of a crime involving fraud in assistance programs and inserted Subsec. (c) re notice of the identity, interest and services performed by such convicted person, relettering remaining Subsecs. accordingly; P.A. 84-235 added the language in Subsec. (b) concerning the suspension or revocation of a franchise or license based on the number of convictions for larceny and amended Subsec. (d) by listing the programs for which administrative sanctions are required; P.A. 85-324 amended Subsec. (b) to clarify the authority of the boards and commissions and the commissioner of health services to take action under Sec. 19a-17 in vendor fraud actions; P.A. 88-176 added the refugee program to Subsecs. (b) and (c), added a provision re the effect of vendor ineligibility for federal financial participation and reduced to one year the time in which a vendor may apply for readmission to the programs in Subsec. (b); P.A. 88-317 amended references to Secs. 4-177 to 4-180 in Subsec. (b) and amended reference to Secs. 4-166 to 4-176 and Ch. 54 in Subsec. (d), to include new sections added to Ch. 54, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-83k transferred to Sec. 17b-99 in 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-169 deleted Subsec. (a) defining vendor fraud, relettering Subsecs. (b) to (d) as (a) to (c), respectively, amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to larceny with vendor fraud, to delete suspension penalties for vendors convicted of vendor fraud and make revocation of license or franchise the penalty for the first conviction of vendor fraud and to make termination or denial of reimbursement permanent, replacing a one-year period and deleted Subsec. (c) re limits on prosecution; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 added the state-administered general assistance program and the temporary family assistance program to the provisions of this section, effective July 1, 1997; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-2 added provisions re a vendor who is convicted of a crime involving fraud in a state-funded child care program and made technical changes in Subsec. (a) for the purpose of gender neutrality, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 05-195 added new Subsec. (d) re audits of service providers by the Department of Social Services, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 06-196 made technical changes in Subsec. (d)(7), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-104. (Formerly Sec. 17-2). State supplementation to the Supplemental Security Income Program. Payment standards. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall administer the program of state supplementation to the Supplemental Security Income Program provided for by the Social Security Act and state law. The commissioner may delegate any powers and authority to any deputy, assistant, investigator or supervisor, who shall have, within the scope of the power and authority so delegated, all of the power and authority of the Commissioner of Social Services. The commissioner shall establish a standard of need based on the cost of living in this state for the temporary family assistance program and the state-administered general assistance program. The commissioner shall make a reinvestigation, at least every twelve months, of all cases receiving aid from the state, except that such reinvestigation may be conducted every twenty-four months for recipients of assistance to the elderly or disabled with stable circumstances, and shall maintain all case records of the several programs administered by the Department of Social Services so that such records show, at all times, full information with respect to eligibility of the applicant or recipient. In the determination of need under any public assistance program, such income or earnings shall be disregarded as federal law requires, and such income or earnings may be disregarded as federal law permits. The commissioner shall encourage and promulgate such incentive earning programs as are permitted by federal law and regulations.

      (b) On July 1, 2007, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase the payment standards over those of the previous fiscal year under the temporary family assistance program and the state-administered general assistance program by the percentage increase, if any, in the most recent calendar year average in the consumer price index for urban consumers over the average for the previous calendar year, provided the annual increase, if any, shall not exceed five per cent.

      (c) On and after July 1, 1995, the payment standards for families receiving assistance under the temporary family assistance program and the state-administered general assistance program shall be equal to seventy-three per cent of the AFDC standards of need in effect June 30, 1995.

      (d) For a family living in subsidized housing, income shall be attributed to such family which shall be eight per cent of the payment standard for such family.

      (1949 Rev., S. 2614; 1953, 1955, S. 1448d; 1961, P.A. 316; February, 1965, P.A. 344, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 314, S. 2; 562; 744, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 730, S. 9; 1971, P.A. 642, S. 1; P.A. 74-244; S.A. 74-31, S. 16, 22; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-547; P.A. 76-269, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-591, S. 1, 3; 77-614, S. 608, 610; P.A. 78-192, S. 3, 7; P.A. 80-385, S. 1, 3; P.A. 81-449, S. 1, 11; P.A. 82-91, S. 6, 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8, S. 1, 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-34, S. 5, 8; P.A. 84-470, S. 1, 4; P.A. 85-367, S. 2, 5; 85-505, S. 17, 21; P.A. 88-156, S. 7; 88-201, S. 1, 3; 88-317, S. 67, 107; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 1, 63; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16, S. 1, 89; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-418, S. 1, 41; P.A. 95-194, S. 2, 33; 95-351, S. 11, 30; P.A. 96-128; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 48, 165; P.A. 99-279, S. 6, 45; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 55, 58, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; P.A. 03-19, S. 38; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 60; P.A. 04-76, S. 11; P.A. 05-280, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 2.)

      History: 1961 act gave commissioner power to make regulations; 1965 act provided income and earnings be disregarded as federal law requires; 1967 acts allowed disregard of income or earnings "as federal law permits", required encouragement of incentive earning programs, gave to a cost of living commission the determination of standards of assistance and deleted duty to collect support from relatives; 1969 act rewrote regulation-making power provision and required issuance of regulations on or before January 1, 1970, required semiannual redetermination and revision of assistance standards and added proviso re aid to dependent children; 1971 act replaced semiannual redetermination with periodic redetermination of standards of need rather than assistance, required standards to meet federal requirements rather than to carry out state policy and deleted proviso re aid to dependent children; P.A. 74-244 replaced periodic redetermination with annual redetermination, required standards to reflect changes in living costs using Consumer Price Index and required report to general assembly; S.A. 74-31 added Subsecs. (b) and (c) re aid to dependent children, deleted reference to state paupers in previous provisions, now Subsec. (a), replaced chapter 48 reference with chapter 54, added proviso re aid to dependent children program and required standards to fulfill state as well as federal law; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with commissioner of social services; P.A. 75-547 clarified provision re amount of grant in Subsec. (c); P.A. 76-269 replaced former provisions of Subsec. (c) re shelter component of assistance and deleted proviso in Subsec. (a) which had referred to previous Subsec. (c); P.A. 77-591 deleted exception re shelter component in Subsec. (b) and changed applicable year from 1975 to 1978; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of income maintenance, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-192 rephrased Subsec. (b) making increase applicable to standard of need rather than payment level, including family cases under general assistance program and changing applicable year to 1979; P.A. 80-385 changed rate of increase from 10% to 7% for year 1980 in Subsec. (b) and added proviso re "disregards"; P.A. 81-449 amended Subsec. (b) to increase the standard of need by 5% over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981, replacing previous 7% increase; P.A. 82-91 amended Subsec. (b) to increase the standard of need by 3% over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1982, replacing previous year's reference to 5% increase in standard of need over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8 amended Subsec. (b) to change the date from "June 30, 1982" to "June 30, 1983"; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-34 amended Subsec. (b) to add reference to state program established pursuant to Sec. 17-83o; P.A. 84-470 amended Subsec. (b) to provide for an increase in the standard of need on July 1, 1984, based on the increase in the "most recent calendar year average to average consumer price index for urban consumers for the U.S. city average over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984"; P.A. 85-367 entirely replaced Subsec. (b) re increase in standard of need for fiscal year 1984-1985 with new provisions applicable to increase for fiscal year 1985-1986; P.A. 85-505 replaced prior provisions of Subsec. (b) re increase in standard of need with new provisions re increases for 1986, 1987 and 1988 and provided for the first time a cap on increases; P.A. 88-156 deleted obsolete language in Subsec. (a), deleted Subsec. (c) re payment of shelter component to recipients of aid to dependent children program, and specified the current programs the commissioner is required to administer; P.A. 88-201 authorized the annual increase of the standard of need in Subsec. (b); P.A. 88-317 amended Subsec. (c) to update reference to Secs. 4-166 to 4-176 to include new section added to Ch. 54, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date, but failed to take effect, Subsec. (c) having been deleted by P.A. 88-156; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 amended Subsec. (b) to delete language re increase in standard of need for fiscal year 1985-1986 to remove the needy student provision and to place a cap on the annual increase for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16 amended Subsec. (b) by eliminating the increase in the standard of need for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-418 in Subsec. (a) required the commissioner to establish payment standards for the AFDC and general assistance programs, replacing provisions requiring annual computation of standards of need based on federal Regional Consumer Price Index, in Subsec. (b) changed the words "standard of need" to "payment standards", added provision requiring that payment standards not be increased until after the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, and required that the payment standards in effect on January 1, 1994, be equal to the standards of need in effect July 1, 1993, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-2 transferred to Sec. 17b-104 in 1995; P.A. 95-194 amended Subsec. (b) by adding the fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and June 30, 1997, to the list of years in which payment standards shall not be increased, added Subsec. (c) lowering the payment standard on and after July 1, 1995, added Subsec. (d) providing that families in subsidized housing be required to count the value of such housing as income in determining the benefit payment, effective June 29, 1995; P.A. 95-351 amended Subsec. (c) by requiring payment standards apply to recipients of general assistance, amended Subsec. (d) by requiring that effective January 1, 1996, families subject to time limited benefits pursuant to Sec. 17b-112(b) and living in subsidized housing have their benefit payment reduced by 8% of the payment standard, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-128 amended Subsec. (a) to allow for reinvestigations of elderly or disabled recipients of assistance with stable circumstances every 24 months; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 amended Subsec. (b) by adding the fiscal years ending June 30, 1998, and June 30, 1999, to the list of years in which payment standards shall not be increased, replaced Subsec. (d) with a provision requiring a family living in subsidized housing to have income attributed to it at a rate of 8% of the standard of need if such family is subject to fill the gap budgeting and 8% of the payment standard for families not subject to such budgeting and added a definition of fill the gap budgeting and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes and Subsec. (b) to require the commissioner to increase payment standards under the aid to families with dependent children program and to provide that the payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, effective July 1, 1999; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that the payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003, and amended Subsec. (d) to provide that for a family living in subsidized housing, income shall be attributed to such family which shall be 8% of the payment standard for such family, deleting provisions re "fill the gap budgeting", effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-19 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective May 12, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsecs. (a) to (c), inclusive, by deleting references to "general assistance program" and making conforming changes; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending on June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2007, effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting "On and after January 1, 1994," and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing "1988" with "2007", deleting "aid to families with dependent children program" and deleting specified fiscal years when the payment standard was not increased, effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-105a. Food stamp program. Authority of commissioner to seek waiver and implement federal options. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall seek a waiver from federal law to allow persons who live in an area in which (1) the unemployment rate is greater than ten per cent, or (2) there is an insufficient number of jobs to provide such persons with employment, to be exempt from the three-month participation limit of the food stamp program implemented pursuant to the Food Stamp Act of 1977.

      (b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement vehicle evaluation provisions in accordance with 7 CFR 273.8(f)(4).

      (c) The Commissioner of Social Services, pursuant to 7 USC 2014(e)(6), shall implement the federal option to mandate the use of a standard utility allowance, to be used in place of actual utility costs, for purposes of calculating the excess shelter deduction of applicants for, or recipients of, food stamp program benefits. Pursuant to 7 USC 2014(e)(6)(C)(iii)(III), the commissioner shall not prorate a standard utility allowance based upon the fact that an assisted household shares the utility with an individual who is not a member of the assisted household.

      (P.A. 97-194, S. 1, 2; P.A. 02-37, S. 1; P.A. 03-36, S. 1; P.A. 05-141, S. 2; P.A. 07-63, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 97-194 effective June 26, 1997; P.A. 02-37 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and made a technical change therein and added Subsec. (b) requiring commissioner to implement federal option allowing applicants and recipients of food stamps to retain a car valued up to the limit established under the temporary family assistance program, effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 03-36 added new Subsec. (c) re implementation of standard utility allowance by commissioner; P.A. 05-141 amended Subsec. (c) to replace "7 CFR 273.9" with "7 USC 2014(e)(6)" and to prohibit commissioner from prorating standard utility allowance when assisted household shares utility with an individual who is not a member of the assisted household, effective June 24, 2005; P.A. 07-63 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting "vehicle evaluation provisions in accordance with 7 CFR 273.8(f)(4)" for former provision that permitted commissioner to implement federal option to allow food stamp applicants or recipients to retain a car valued up to limit established under temporary family assistance program, effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-106. (Formerly Sec. 17-12f). State supplement to Supplemental Security Income Program. Unearned income disregard. Adult payment standards. State supplement payments for certain residents in long-term care facilities. (a) On January 1, 2006, and on each January first thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services shall increase the unearned income disregard for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by an amount equal to the federal cost-of-living adjustment, if any, provided to recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income Program benefits for the corresponding calendar year. On July 1, 1989, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase the adult payment standards over those of the previous fiscal year for the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program by the percentage increase, if any, in the most recent calendar year average in the consumer price index for urban consumers over the average for the previous calendar year, provided the annual increase, if any, shall not exceed five per cent, except that the adult payment standards for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1993, June 30, 1994, June 30, 1995, June 30, 1996, June 30, 1997, June 30, 1998, June 30, 1999, June 30, 2000, June 30, 2001, June 30, 2002, June 30, 2003, June 30, 2004, June 30, 2005, June 30, 2006, June 30, 2007, June 30, 2008, and June 30, 2009, shall not be increased. Effective October 1, 1991, the coverage of excess utility costs for recipients of the state supplement to the federal Supplemental Security Income Program is eliminated. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may increase the personal needs allowance component of the adult payment standard as necessary to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements.

      (b) Effective July 1, 1998, the commissioner shall provide a state supplement payment for recipients of Medicaid and the federal Supplemental Security Income Program who reside in long-term care facilities sufficient to increase their personal needs allowance to fifty dollars per month. Such state supplement payment shall be made to the long-term care facility to be deposited into the personal fund account of each such recipient. Effective July 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase such allowance to reflect the annual inflation adjustment in Social Security income, if any. For the purposes of this subsection, "long-term care facility" means a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home, a chronic disease hospital, a rest home with nursing supervision, an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded or a state humane institution.

      (P.A. 78-192, S. 1, 2, 7; P.A. 80-385, S. 2, 3; P.A. 81-449, S. 2, 5, 11; P.A. 82-91, S. 7, 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8, S. 2, 3; P.A. 84-470, S. 2, 4; P.A. 85-367, S. 3, 5; 85-505, S. 18, 21; P.A. 89-296, S. 5, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 2, 63; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16, S. 3, 89; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-418, S. 4, 41; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 32, 53; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 3, 9; P.A. 95-351, S. 13, 30; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 49, 165; P.A. 98-239, S. 4, 35; P.A. 99-279, S. 7, 45; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 56, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 61; P.A. 05-243, S. 1; 05-280, S. 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 3.)

      History: P.A. 80-385 reduced rate of increase from 10% to 7% for fiscal year ending June 30, 1980, and added proviso re disregards; P.A. 81-449 increased the payment standards by 5% over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981, replacing previous 7% increase and deleted reference to the Connecticut Assistance and Medical Aid Program for the Disabled; P.A. 82-91 amended section to increase the payment standards by 3% over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1982, replacing previous year's reference to 5% increase in payment standards over the standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1981; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-8 changed the date from "June 30, 1982" to "June 30, 1983"; P.A. 84-470 provided for an increase in the adult payment standards on July 1, 1984, based on the percentage increase in the "most recent calendar year average to average consumer price index for urban consumers for the U.S. city average over the standard for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984"; P.A. 85-367 replaced previous provisions re increase in adult payment standards for fiscal year 1984-1985 with new provisions applicable to fiscal year 1985-1986; P.A. 85-505 replaced prior provisions re increase in adult payment standards with new provisions for increases in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and for the first time imposed a cap on increases; P.A. 89-296 deleted obsolete date references; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 required a reduction in the unearned income disregard for recipients of the state supplement to the federal supplemental security income, placed a hold on the adult payment standards for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, held the general assistance maximum shelter payment levels to the federal maximums, except that for the payments already being made reductions are to be suspended for six months, eliminated the provision for excess utility costs for recipients of state supplement and redefined "single room occupancy"; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16 changed the amount by which the commissioner shall reduce the unearned income disregard to up to 9.5%, eliminated the increase in the standard of need for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, and deleted provisions re maximum payment levels for shelter and consideration of single room occupancies under the general assistance program; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-418 eliminated the increase in the adult payment standard for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1994, and June 30, 1995, effective July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 deleted provision directing commissioner to reduce unearned income disregard by up to 9.5%, effective July 1, 1992, and substituted provision directing commissioner to reduce disregard by 7%, effective July 1, 1994; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 added provision directing commissioner to increase unearned income disregard to a level not exceeding that in effect on July 30, 1994, if sufficient funds are available within department and are transferred to appropriate accounts, effective July 15, 1994; Sec. 17-12f transferred to Sec. 17b-106 in 1995; P.A. 95-351 provided that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and June 30, 1997, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 provided the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 1998, and June 30, 1999, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-239 divided the Sec. into two Subsecs., inserting new provisions as Subsec. (b), requiring the Commissioner of Social Services to provide a state supplement payment for recipients of Medicaid and the federal supplemental security income program who reside in long-term care facilities sufficient to increase their personal needs allowance to $50 per month, specifying where such payment shall be deposited, providing for an increase in such allowance effective July 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, and defining "long-term care facility", effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, effective July 1, 1999; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the adult payment standards shall not increase in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2002, and June 30, 2003, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, and to add provision authorizing commissioner to increase the personal needs allowance component of the adult payment standard as needed to meet federal maintenance of effort requirements, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 05-243 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re 1985 payment standards, deleting 1994 provision that required commissioner to reduce the appropriate unearned income disregard for program recipients by 7% and adding provision requiring commissioner to increase the unearned income disregard for program recipients by an amount equal to the federal cost-of-living adjustment, if any, provided to recipients of federal Supplemental Security Income Program benefits for the corresponding calendar year, and made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 8, 2005; P.A. 05-280 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2007, effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that adult payment standards shall not be increased for fiscal years ending June 30, 2008, and June 30, 2009, effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-112. Temporary family assistance program. (a) The Department of Social Services shall administer a temporary family assistance program under which cash assistance shall be provided to eligible families in accordance with the temporary assistance for needy families program, established pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The Commissioner of Social Services may operate portions of the temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, separate from the federal temporary assistance for needy families program, if the commissioner determines that doing so will enable the state to avoid fiscal penalties under the temporary assistance for needy families program. Families receiving assistance under the solely state-funded portion of the temporary family assistance program shall be subject to the same conditions of eligibility as those receiving assistance under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program. Under the temporary family assistance program, benefits shall be provided to a family for not longer than twenty-one months, except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. For the purpose of calculating said twenty-one-month time limit, months of assistance received on and after January 1, 1996, pursuant to time limits under the aid to families with dependent children program, shall be included. For purposes of this section, "family" means one or more individuals who apply for or receive assistance together under the temporary family assistance program. If the commissioner determines that federal law allows individuals not otherwise in an eligible covered group for the temporary family assistance program to become covered, such family may also, at the discretion of the commissioner, be composed of (1) a pregnant woman, or (2) a parent, both parents or other caretaker relative and at least one child who is under the age of eighteen, or who is under the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school or its equivalent. A caretaker relative shall be related to the child or children by blood, marriage or adoption or shall be the legal guardian of such a child or pursuing legal proceedings necessary to achieve guardianship. If the commissioner elects to allow state eligibility consistent with any change in federal law, the commissioner may administratively transfer any qualifying family cases under the cash assistance portion of the state-administered general assistance program to the temporary family assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures. If such families become an ineligible coverage group under the federal law, the commissioner shall administratively transfer such families back to the cash assistance portion of the state-administered general assistance program without regard to usual eligibility and enrollment procedures to the degree that such families are eligible for the state program.

      (b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall exempt a family from such time-limited benefits for circumstances including, but not limited to: (1) A family with a needy caretaker relative who is incapacitated or of an advanced age, as defined by the commissioner, if there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (2) a family with a needy caretaker relative who is needed in the home because of the incapacity of another member of the household, if there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (3) a family with a caretaker relative who is not legally responsible for the dependent children in the household if such relative's needs are not considered in calculating the amount of the benefit and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (4) a family with a caretaker relative caring for a child who is under one year of age and who was born not more than ten months after the family's enrollment if there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (5) a family with a pregnant or postpartum caretaker relative if a physician has indicated that such relative is unable to work and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; (6) a family with a caretaker relative determined by the commissioner to be unemployable and there is no other nonexempt caretaker relative in the household; and (7) minor parents attending and satisfactorily completing high school or high school equivalency programs.

      (c) A family who is subject to time-limited benefits may petition the Commissioner of Social Services for six-month extensions of such benefits. The commissioner shall grant not more than two extensions to such family who has made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the program and despite such effort has a total family income at a level below the payment standard, or has encountered circumstances preventing employment including, but not limited to: (1) Domestic violence or physical harm to such family's children; or (2) other circumstances beyond such family's control. The commissioner shall disregard ninety dollars of earned income in determining applicable family income. The commissioner may grant a subsequent six-month extension if each adult in the family meets one or more of the following criteria: (A) The adult is precluded from engaging in employment activities due to domestic violence or another reason beyond the adult's control; (B) the adult has two or more substantiated barriers to employment including, but not limited to, the lack of available child care, substance abuse or addiction, severe mental or physical health problems, one or more severe learning disabilities, domestic violence or a child who has a serious physical or behavioral health problem; (C) the adult is working thirty-five or more hours per week, is earning at least the minimum wage and continues to earn less than the family's temporary family assistance payment standard; or (D) the adult is employed and works less than thirty-five hours per week due to (i) a documented medical impairment that limits the adult's hours of employment, provided the adult works the maximum number of hours that the medical condition permits, or (ii) the need to care for a disabled member of the adult's household, provided the adult works the maximum number of hours the adult's caregiving responsibilities permit. Families receiving temporary family assistance shall be notified by the department of the right to petition for such extensions. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall not provide benefits under the state's temporary family assistance program to a family that is subject to the twenty-one month benefit limit and has received benefits beginning on or after October 1, 1996, if such benefits result in that family's receiving more than sixty months of time-limited benefits unless that family experiences domestic violence, as defined in Section 402(a)(7)(B), P.L. 104-193. For the purpose of calculating said sixty-month limit: (I) A month shall count toward the limit if the family receives assistance for any day of the month, and (II) a month in which a family receives temporary assistance for needy families benefits that are issued from a jurisdiction other than Connecticut shall count toward the limit.

      (d) Under said program (1) no family shall be eligible that has total gross earnings exceeding the federal poverty level, however, in the calculation of the benefit amount for eligible families and previously eligible families that become ineligible temporarily because of receipt of workers' compensation benefits by a family member who subsequently returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of such benefits, earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal poverty level; (2) the increase in benefits to a family in which an infant is born after the initial ten months of participation in the program shall be limited to an amount equal to fifty per cent of the average incremental difference between the amounts paid per each family size; and (3) a disqualification penalty shall be established for failure to cooperate with the biometric identifier system. Except when determining eligibility for a six-month extension of benefits pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner shall disregard the first fifty dollars per month of income attributable to current child support that a family receives in determining eligibility and benefit levels for temporary family assistance. Any current child support in excess of fifty dollars per month collected by the department on behalf of an eligible child shall be considered in determining eligibility but shall not be considered when calculating benefits and shall be taken as reimbursement for assistance paid under this section, except that when the current child support collected exceeds the family's monthly award of temporary family assistance benefits plus fifty dollars, the current child support shall be paid to the family and shall be considered when calculating benefits.

      (e) A family receiving assistance under said program shall cooperate with child support enforcement, under title IV-D of the Social Security Act. A family shall be ineligible for benefits for failure to cooperate with child support enforcement.

      (f) A family leaving assistance at the end of (1) said twenty-one-month time limit, including a family with income above the payment standard, or (2) the sixty-month limit shall have an interview for the purpose of being informed of services that may continue to be available to such family, including employment services available through the Labor Department. Said interview shall contain a determination of benefits available to said family provided by the Department of Social Services. Said interview shall also include a determination of whether such family is eligible for food stamps or Medicaid. Information and referrals shall be made to such a family for services and benefits including, but not limited to, the earned income tax credit, rental subsidies emergency housing, employment services and energy assistance.

      (g) An applicant or recipient of temporary family assistance who is adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Social Services may request and shall be provided a hearing in accordance with section 17b-60.

      (P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-418, S. 16, 41; 93-435, S. 59, 95; P.A. 95-194, S. 1, 33; 95-351, S. 1, 30; P.A. 96-262, S. 2, 11; 96-268, S. 1, 34; P.A. 97-295, S. 20, 25; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 1, 165; P.A. 98-262, S. 14, 22; P.A. 99-279, S. 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 12, 15, 61, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 125, 129, 131; P.A. 03-2, S. 13; 03-28, S. 1; 03-268, S. 5; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 80; P.A. 04-16, S. 2; 04-258, S. 27; P.A. 07-160, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 93-418 effective July 1, 1993 (Revisor's note: P.A. 93-262 and 93-435 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993); P.A. 95-194 added Subsec. (b) authorizing the department to seek waivers to modify existing research and demonstration programs, effective June 29, 1995; P.A. 95-351 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(11), effective June 29, 1995; P.A. 96-262 amended Subsec. (b) to add a provision allowing the commissioner to encourage a recipient to undertake employment in preschool child care programs, child day care centers, group day care homes and family day care homes, effective July 1, 1996, and applicable to income years commencing on or after January 1, 1997; P.A. 96-268 made a technical correction in Subsec. (b)(7), effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 97-295 deleted Subsec. (b)(11) re opportunity certificates, effective July 8, 1997, and applicable to tax returns filed for income years commencing on or after January 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 deleted obsolete provisions of the research and programs designed to support self-sufficiency and family unity for recipients of aid to families with dependent children, inserted new Subsecs. (a) to (k), inclusive, establishing the temporary family assistance program providing cash assistance to eligible families in accordance with the temporary assistance for needy families program established pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-262 revised effective date of P.A. 97-295, but without affecting this section; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (e)(1) to provide that earned income shall be disregarded up to the federal poverty level in the calculation of the benefit amount for "previously eligible families that become ineligible temporarily because of receipt of workers' compensation benefits by a family member who subsequently returns to work immediately after the period of receipt of such benefits" and to make a technical change; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (c) to limit 6-month benefit extensions to not more than three, and add provisions re conditions under which commissioner may grant a fourth or a subsequent 6-month extension, limiting benefits for certain families to 60 months and calculating 60-month limit and amended Subsec. (e) to add provision re $50 per month disregard, effective October 1, 2001, and amended Subsec. (g) to add two Subdiv. designators and to require family leaving assistance at end of the 60-month limit to have an interview, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 made technical changes in Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2001, and revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-2 amended Subsec. (c) by reducing the number of 6-month benefit extensions that the commissioner may grant from three to two and deleting "a fourth or" re commissioner's authority to grant subsequent benefit extensions, effective July 1, 2003; P.A. 03-28 amended Subsec. (c)(2)(D)(ii)(II) by replacing "temporary family assistance benefits" with "temporary assistance for needy families benefits", deleted former Subsec. (d) re transitional Medicaid eligibility, redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) to (h) as Subsecs. (d) to (g), deleted former Subsec. (i) re "Reach for Jobs First" demonstration waiver and utilization of control group, and deleted former Subsec. (k) re regulations to be adopted by November 15, 1997; P.A. 03-268 deleted former Subsec. (j) re annual report of commissioner to human services and appropriations committees on funding required to support programs funded by the temporary assistance to needy families block grant; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions allowing the commissioner to administratively transfer certain families qualifying for state-administered general assistance cash benefits into a temporary family assistance coverage group should the commissioner determine that changes in federal law permit such families not previously eligible to become covered, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-16 made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 04-258 amended Subsec. (d) by changing "child support" to "current child support" re income disregard and adding provision re treatment of current child support received in excess of $50 per month as relates to eligibility and calculation of benefits, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 07-160 amended Subsec. (a) by permitting commissioner to operate portions of temporary family assistance program as a solely state-funded program, separate from federal temporary assistance for needy families program, if commissioner determines that doing so will enable the state to avoid federal fiscal penalties and by providing that families receiving assistance under a solely state-funded program shall be subject to same eligibility conditions as those receiving assistance under federal program, effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-112e. Safety net services. Regulations. (a) The Department of Social Services shall provide safety net services for certain families identified as having significant barriers to employment and families who are at risk of losing benefits under the temporary family assistance program or no longer receiving program benefits. Such families shall include those: (1) Identified as having significant barriers to employment during the initial assessment by the department's eligibility worker or during the first twelve months of employment services by an employment services case manager; (2) who have made a good faith effort to seek and maintain employment but have not been able to do so or who are at risk of failing to complete the employment services program; (3) who have exhausted their eligibility for temporary family assistance program benefits; and (4) who are not eligible for six-month extensions of temporary family assistance benefits due to: (A) The receipt of two sanctions from the department during the first twenty months of the twenty-one-month time limit of said temporary family assistance program; or (B) the determination by the department that such a family has not made a good-faith effort to seek and maintain employment.

      (b) Said safety net shall consist of services provided through the existing community service delivery network with additional resources provided by the Department of Social Services. Services shall be provided in-kind or through vendor or voucher payment. Services may include the following: (1) Food, shelter, clothing and employment assistance; (2) eviction prevention; (3) an in-depth family needs assessment; (4) intensive case management that includes visits to the family's home; (5) continuous monitoring for child abuse or neglect; and (6) for families at risk of losing benefits under the temporary family assistance program, individual performance contracts administered by the Labor Department that require job training, job searching, volunteer work, participation in parenting programs or counseling or any other requirements deemed necessary by the Labor Commissioner.

      (c) Families successfully meeting the program requirements established by the individual performance contracts in subdivision (6) of subsection (b) of this section prior to the end of the twenty-one-month time limit shall be considered to have made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the program for the purposes of qualifying for a six-month extension, provided they have made a good faith effort to comply with the individual performance contract or have not incurred a sanction subsequent to completing the individual performance contract.

      (d) The Commissioner of Social Services shall implement policies and procedures necessary for the purposes of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form, provided the commissioner prints notice of intention to adopt the regulations in the Connecticut Law Journal within twenty days of implementing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.

      (June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 6, 165; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 57, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131; P.A. 03-19, S. 39; P.A. 07-160, S. 2.)

      History: June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 effective July 1, 1997; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to make a technical change, amended Subsec. (b)(5) to require that individual performance contracts be administered by the Labor Department and require job training, job searching, volunteer work, participation in parenting programs or counseling or any other requirements deemed necessary by the Labor Commissioner, in lieu of Commissioner of Social Services, and amended Subsec. (d) to delete requirement that final regulations be submitted to the legislative regulation review committee no later than November 15, 1997, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 07-160 amended Subsec. (a) by revising categories of families eligible for safety net services to include families identified as having significant barriers to employment, families who have made a good faith effort to seek and maintain employment but who have not been able to do so and families who have exhausted their eligibility for temporary family assistance program benefits and by making technical changes, amended Subsec. (b) by adding "an in-depth family needs assessment" as service provided, by specifying that intensive case management includes visits to the family's home and by making technical changes, and amended Subsec. (c) by changing internal reference from Subdiv. (5) to Subdiv. (6), effective July 1, 2007.

GENERAL ASSISTANCE

      Sec. 17b-129. (Formerly Sec. 17-283a). Town's claim against proceeds of cause of action. Assignment of interest in estate to the town. Limitation. (a) If any beneficiary of aid under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-256, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive, has a cause of action, a town that provided aid to such beneficiary shall have a claim against the proceeds of such cause of action for the amount of such aid or fifty per cent of the proceeds received by such beneficiary after payment of all expenses connected with the cause of action, whichever is less, which shall have priority over all other unsecured claims and unrecorded encumbrances. Such claim shall be a lien, subordinate to any interest the state may possess under section 17b-94, against the proceeds from such cause of action, for the amount established in accordance with this section, and such lien shall have priority over all other claims except attorney's fees for such causes of action, expenses of suit, costs of hospitalization connected with the cause of action by whomever paid, over and above hospital insurance or other such benefits, and, for such period of hospitalization as was not paid for by the town, physician's fees for services during any such period as are connected with the cause of action over and above medical insurance or other such benefits. Where the state also has a claim against the proceeds of such cause of action under section 17b-94, the total amount of the claims by the state under said section and the town under this subsection shall not exceed fifty per cent of the proceeds received by the recipient after the allowable expenses and the town's claim shall be reduced accordingly. The proceeds of such causes of action shall be assignable to the town for payment of such lien irrespective of any other provision of law except section 17b-94. Upon presentation to the attorney for the beneficiary of an assignment of such proceeds executed by the beneficiary or his conservator or guardian, such assignment shall constitute an irrevocable direction to the attorney to pay the town in accordance with its terms.

      (b) In the case of an inheritance of an estate by a beneficiary of aid under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-256, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive, fifty per cent of the assets of the estate payable to the beneficiary or the amount of such assets equal to the amount of assistance paid, whichever is less, shall be assignable to the town. Where the state also has an assignment of such assets under section 17b-94, the total amount of the claims of the state under said section and the town under this subsection shall not exceed fifty per cent of the assets of the estate payable to the beneficiary and the town's assigned share shall be reduced accordingly. The Court of Probate shall accept any such assignment executed by the beneficiary and filed by the town with the court prior to the distribution of such inheritance, and to the extent of such inheritance not already distributed, the court shall order distribution in accordance therewith. If the town receives any assets of an estate pursuant to any such assignment, the town shall be subject to the same duties and liabilities concerning such assigned assets as the beneficiary.

      (c) No claim shall be made, or lien applied, against any payment made pursuant to chapter 135, any payment made pursuant to section 47-88d or 47-287, any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or employment discrimination case, any court-ordered retroactive rent abatement, including any made pursuant to subsection (e) of section 47a-14h, or section 47a-4a, 47a-5 or 47a-57, or any security deposit refund pursuant to subsection (d) of section 47a-21 paid to a beneficiary of assistance under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-256, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive.

      (P.A. 77-378; P.A. 81-69, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-277; P.A. 88-131; P.A. 91-225; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 97; P.A. 04-76, S. 51; P.A. 07-44, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 81-69 removed the limitation that the town's claim against the proceeds of a cause of action be for only the "nonreimbursable" amount paid to beneficiary; P.A. 85-277 added option of claim for 50% of proceeds received by beneficiary after payment of expenses if less than the amount of aid and added Subsec. (b) re assignment of estate assets to town; P.A. 88-131 limited the amount a town and the state may claim of the proceeds of a cause of action received by a recipient in Subsec. (a) and limited the amount a town and the state may claim re the assignment of interest of a beneficiary in an estate in Subsec. (b); P.A. 91-225 added Subsec. (c) re prohibition on claims made or liens applied against certain payments to beneficiaries; Sec. 17-283a transferred to Sec. 17b-129 in 1995; (Revisor's note: The references to "17b-115 to 17b-138" and "17b-689 to 17b-693, inclusive," were changed editorially by the Revisors to "17b-116 to 17b-138" and "17b-689, 17b-689b", respectively, to reflect the repeal of certain sections by section 164 of June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2); June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, in repealing Secs. 17b-19, 17b-62 to 17b-65, inclusive, 17b-116, 17b-116a, 17b-116b, 17b-117, 17b-120, 17b-121, 17b-123, 17b-134, 17b-135, 17b-220, 17b-259 and 17b-287, authorized deletion of internal references to said sections in this section, effective March 1, 2004; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsecs. (a) to (c), inclusive, by deleting references to Secs. 17b-118b and 17b-221 that were repealed by the same act; P.A. 07-44 amended Subsec. (c) by adding "any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or discrimination case", effective July 1, 2007.

      Sec. 17b-137. (Formerly Sec. 17-303). Disclosure of property of recipients of state aid, care or child support enforcement services. Disclosure of property of persons liable to support recipients or subject to IV-D support case investigation. Access to records. Automated data match system. High-volume automated administrative enforcement. (a)(1)(A) Any person who has in his possession or control any property of any person applying for or presently or formerly receiving aid or care or child support enforcement services, as defined in subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, from the state or who is indebted to such applicant or recipient or has knowledge of any insurance, including health insurance or property currently or formerly belonging to him, or information pertaining to eligibility for such aid or care or services, and any officer who has control of the books and accounts of any corporation which has possession or control of any property belonging to any person applying for or receiving such aid or care or services or who is indebted to him, or has knowledge of any insurance, including health insurance or any person having in his employ any such person, shall, upon presentation by the Commissioner of Social Services, or the Commissioner of Administrative Services, or the Commissioner of Public Safety, or a support enforcement officer of the Superior Court, or any person deputized by any of them, of a certificate, signed by him, stating that such applicant, recipient or employee has applied for or is receiving or has received such aid or care or services from the state, make full disclosure to said commissioner, such officer or such deputy of any such property, insurance, wages, indebtedness or information. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subparagraph, any health insurer, including a self-insured plan, group health plan, as defined in Section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, service benefit plan, managed care organization, health care center, pharmacy benefit manager, dental benefit manager or other party that is, by statute, contract or agreement, legally responsible for payment of a claim for a health care item or service, which may or may not be financially at risk for the cost of a health care item or service, shall, upon request of the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee, provide any and all information in a manner and format prescribed by the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, to identify, determine or establish third-party coverage, including all information necessary to determine during what period a person, his or her spouse or his or her dependents may be, or may have been, covered by a health insurer and the nature of the coverage that is or was provided by the health insurer, including the name, address and identifying number of the plan. Such information shall also be provided by such health insurer to all third-party administrators, pharmacy benefit managers, dental benefit managers or other entities with which the health insurer has an arrangement to adjudicate claims for a health care item or service.

      (B) At the request of the Commissioner of Social Services, any health insurer, including a self-insured plan, group health plan, as defined in Section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, service benefit plan, managed care organization, health care center, pharmacy benefit manager, dental benefit manager or other party that is, by statute, contract or agreement, legally responsible for payment of a claim for a health care item or service, which may or may not be financially at risk for the cost of a health care item or service, shall be required, to conduct, or to allow the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, to conduct automated data matches to identify insurance coverage for recipients and the parents of recipients who are minors. Upon completion of such matches the commissioner shall reimburse such companies for the reasonable documented costs of conducting the matches.

      (2) (A) Such disclosure may be obtained in like manner of the property, wages or indebtedness of any person who is either: (i) Liable for the support of any such applicant or recipient, including the parents of any child receiving aid or services through the Department of Children and Families, or one adjudged or acknowledged to be the father of an illegitimate child; or (ii) the subject of an investigation in a IV-D support case, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231. Any company or officer who has control of the books and accounts of any corporation shall make full disclosure to the IV-D agency, as defined in subdivision (12) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, or to the support enforcement officer of the Superior Court of any such property, wages or indebtedness in all support cases, including IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231.

      (B) The Commissioner of Social Services, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the Commissioner of Public Safety or a support enforcement officer of the Superior Court, or any person deputized by any of them, may compel, by subpoena, the attendance and testimony under oath of any person who refuses to disclose in accordance with the provisions of this section, or of any person who is either: (i) Liable for the support of any such applicant or recipient; or (ii) the subject of an investigation in a IV-D support case, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, who refuses to disclose his own financial circumstances, and may so compel the production of books and papers pertaining to such information.

      (C) The Commissioner of Social Services may subpoena the financial records of any financial institution concerning property of any person applying for or presently or formerly receiving aid or care from the state or who is indebted to such applicant or recipient. The Commissioner of Social Services may subpoena such records of any parent or parents of any child applying for or presently or formerly receiving assistance under the aid to families with dependent children program, the temporary family assistance program or the state-administered general assistance program.

      (D) The commissioner, or a support enforcement officer of the Superior Court, or the person deputized by the commissioner or officer shall set a time and place for any examination under this subdivision, and any person summoned who, without reasonable excuse, fails to appear and testify or to produce such books and papers shall be fined fifty dollars for each such offense.

      (b) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the IV-D agency shall have access, including automated access in the case of records maintained in automated data bases, to information contained in the following:

      (A) Records of other state and local government agencies, including: (i) Vital statistics, including records of marriage, birth, death and dissolution of marriage; (ii) state and local tax and revenue records, including information on residence address, employer, income and assets; (iii) records concerning real and titled personal property; (iv) records of occupational and professional licenses and records concerning the ownership and control of corporations, partnerships and other business entities; (v) employment security records; (vi) records of agencies administering public assistance programs; (vii) records of the Department of Motor Vehicles; and (viii) records of the Department of Correction.

      (B) Certain records held by private entities with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support, or against or with respect to whom a support order is sought, consisting of: (i) The names and addresses of such individuals and the names and addresses of the employers of such individuals, as appearing in customer records of public utilities, cable television companies, and cellular mobile telephone and other wireless telecommunications service providers, pursuant to a subpoena issued under subsection (a) of this section; and (ii) information, including information on assets and liabilities, on such individuals held by financial institutions.

      (2) (A) The IV-D agency shall safeguard all information secured by or made available to it pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and shall not further disclose any such information except in connection with the administration of the title IV-D program.

      (B) Any entity that provides access to or discloses any information in accordance with this subsection shall be relieved of any liability to any person for any such provision or disclosure.

      (c) (1) The IV-D agency and financial institutions, as defined in section 469A(d)(1) of the Social Security Act, doing business in this state shall enter into agreements to develop and operate a data match system, using automated data exchanges to the maximum extent feasible, in which each such financial institution is required to provide for each calendar quarter the name, record address, Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and other identifying information for each noncustodial parent who maintains an account at such institution and who owes past-due support, as identified by the IV-D agency by name and Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number. Upon completion of such matches, the commissioner shall reimburse such financial institutions for the reasonable documented costs of conducting the matches. For the purposes of this section, "account" means a demand deposit account, checking or negotiable withdrawal order account, savings account, time deposit account or money-market mutual fund account.

      (2) A financial institution shall not be liable to any person for (A) disclosing information to the IV-D agency pursuant to this subsection, (B) encumbering or surrendering any assets held by such institution in response to a notice issued under subsections (d) and (e) of section 52-362d, or (C) any other action taken in good faith to comply with the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection.

      (d) (1) For the purposes of this subsection, "high-volume automated administrative enforcement" means the identification of assets, through automated data matches with financial institutions and other entities, as provided in this section and required by federal law, and the seizure of such assets in accordance with subsections (d) and (e) of section 52-362d.

      (2) The IV-D agency shall: (A) Use high-volume automated administrative enforcement, as defined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, to the same extent as in intrastate cases; and (B) promptly report the results of such enforcement procedure to the requesting state.

      (3) Support Enforcement Services or the IV-D agency may, by electronic or other means, transmit to another state a request for assistance in enforcing support orders administratively, in a manner similar to this subsection, which request shall: (A) Include information that shall enable the state to which the request is transmitted to compare the information about the cases to the information data bases of such state; and (B) constitute a certification by this state (i) of the amount of support under an order the payment of which is in arrears, and (ii) that this state has complied with all procedural due process requirements applicable to each case.

      (4) If the IV-D agency provides assistance under this subsection to another state concerning a case, such case shall not be considered transferred to the caseload of the IV-D agency.

      (5) The IV-D agency shall maintain records of: (A) The number of requests for assistance received under this subsection; (B) the number of cases for which such agency collected support in response to such requests; and (C) the amount of such collected support.

      (1949 Rev., S. 2621; 1951, 1953, S. 1453d; 1961, P.A. 262; 1967, P.A. 314, S. 8; 1971, P.A. 780; P.A. 73-18; P.A. 74-183, S. 215, 291; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-436, S. 184, 681; P.A. 77-614, S. 70, 587, 608, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 128, 136; P.A. 79-220; 79-631, S. 16, 111; P.A. 81-61, S. 4; 81-70; P.A. 83-295, S. 12; P.A. 90-213, S. 18, 56; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 12, 63; P.A. 93-262, S. 37, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 61, 165; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7, S. 9, 38; P.A. 99-193, S. 4, 16; P.A. 01-91, S. 2; P.A. 06-149, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 18; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 120.)

      History: 1961 act applied section to include persons receiving "care" from the state, added requirement for disclosure of "insurance or" property "currently or formerly" owned, added fathers of illegitimate children to those liable and deleted minimum of $10 for fine; 1967 act added the commissioner of finance and control as an enforcing agent for the section; 1971 act included reference to circuit court family relations officers and required disclosure of corporation books and accounts relating to property, wages or indebtedness in support cases; P.A. 73-18 made provisions applicable to persons currently or formerly receiving aid and included parents of children receiving aid under chapter 301 in liability; P.A. 74-183 replaced circuit court with court of common pleas and family relations division with family relations office; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with commissioner of social services; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of income maintenance; P.A. 78-303 included commissioner of public safety as enforcing agency and in subpoena power; P.A. 79-220 included commissioner of human resources in enforcement power and clarified subpoenas to be made by income maintenance and human resources commissioners; P.A. 79-631 made technical correction; P.A. 81-61 deleted the provision that the commissioner of income maintenance may subpoena financial records "under the provisions of sections 36-9j, 36-9k and 36-9l"; P.A. 81-70 specified health insurance as property subject to disclosure; P.A. 83-295 replaced "family relations officer" with "family relations caseworker or support enforcement officer"; P.A. 90-213 deleted provisions relating to the responsibilities of the family relations caseworker; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 required insurance companies to conduct automated data matches to identify insurance coverage for recipients and parents of minor recipients and authorized reimbursement of companies for expenses of conducting the match; P.A. 93-262 replaced references to commissioners of income maintenance and human resources with commissioner of social services and deleted provision re human resources commissioner's right to obtain disclosures re assistance cases, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-303 transferred to Sec. 17b-137 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7 amended Subsec. (a) by adding references to child enforcement support services and IV-D agency and IV-D support cases and added Subsec. (b) re access of IV-D agency to vital statistics, tax and revenue records, assets, real and titled personal property records, records re occupational and professional licenses, records re corporations, employment security, public assistance, motor vehicles and Department of Correction, financial report and provisions re disclosure safeguards and liabilities and added Subsec. (c) re agreement re data match system between IV-D agency and financial institution, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-193 added Subsec. (d) re high-volume automated administrative enforcement, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 01-91 amended Subsec. (d)(3) by changing "The Support Enforcement Division" to "Support Enforcement Services"; P.A. 06-149 amended Subsec. (a) to insert Subdiv. and Subpara. designators and make provisions of Subdivs. (2)(A) and (B) applicable to any person who is the subject of an investigation in a IV-D support case, amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) to reference records held by cellular mobile telephone and other wireless telecommunications service providers, and made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(A) by adding provisions re obligation of a health insurer who is legally responsible for payment of a health care item or service to provide information necessary to identify, determine or establish third party health insurance coverage, and amended Subsec. (a)(1)(B) by replacing "insurance companies licensed to do business in Connecticut" with "any health insurer" and provision delineating various entities that are deemed a health insurer, by deleting "when compatible data elements are available" re situations when a health insurer is required to conduct automated data matches, and by providing that any health insurer may be required to allow commissioner a designee to conduct automated data matches, effective July 1, 2007; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(A) by making a technical change, effective July 1, 2007.

CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT BUREAU.
LIST OF CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGORS

      Sec. 17b-179. (Formerly Sec. 17-578). Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau. Duties. Determination of parents' financial liability. Use of unemployment compensation for child support obligations. Recovery of costs. Fees. Electronic funds transfer and debit card access for support payments. Regulations. Annual report to General Assembly re child support enforcement program. (a) There is created within the Department of Social Services the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement. The bureau shall be administered by a director and shall act as the single and separate organizational unit to coordinate, plan and publish the state child support enforcement plan for the implementation of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as amended, as required by federal law and regulations. The bureau shall provide for the development and implementation of all child support services, including the administration of withholding of earnings, in accordance with the provisions of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as amended.

      (b) (1) The Commissioner of Social Services shall, in the manner provided in section 17b-81, investigate the financial condition of the parent or parents of: (A) Any child applying for or receiving assistance under the provisions of sections 17b-807 and 17b-808 and the temporary family assistance for needy families program, which may be referred to as "TANF" for the purposes of this section, (B) any child seeking IV-D child support enforcement services, and (C) any child committed to the care of the Commissioner of Children and Families who is receiving payments in the foster care program, and shall determine the financial liability of such parent or parents for the child.

      (2) The Bureau of Child Support Enforcement may, upon notice to the obligor and obligee, redirect payments for the support of all such children to either the state of Connecticut or the present custodial party, as their interests may appear, provided neither the obligor nor the obligee objects in writing within ten business days from the mailing date of such notice. Any such notice shall be sent by first class mail to the most recent address of such obligor and obligee, as recorded in the state case registry pursuant to section 46b-218, and a copy of such notice shall be filed with the court or family support magistrate if both the obligor and obligee fail to object to the redirected payments within ten business days from the mailing date of such notice. All payments shall be distributed as required by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

      (c) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate officials of the Judicial Department and law enforcement officials to assist in administering the child support enforcement plan and with respect to other matters of common concern in the area of child support enforcement. Officers of the Judicial Department and law enforcement officials authorized and required to enter into cooperative agreements with the Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau include, but are not limited to, the officials of the Superior Court and the Attorney General. Such cooperative agreements shall contain performance standards to address the mandatory provisions of both state and federal laws and federal regulations concerning child support.

      (d) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall have authority to determine on a periodic basis whether any individuals who owe child support obligations are receiving unemployment compensation. In IV-D cases, the bureau may authorize the collection of any such obligations owed by an individual receiving unemployment compensation through an agreement with the individual or a court order pursuant to section 52-362, under which a portion of the individual's unemployment compensation is withheld and forwarded to the state agency acting by and through the IV-D agency. As used in this section, the term "unemployment compensation" means any compensation payable under chapter 567, including amounts payable by the administrator of the unemployment compensation law pursuant to an agreement under any federal law providing for compensation, assistance or allowances with respect to unemployment.

      (e) The Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall enter into purchase of service agreements with other state officials, departments and agencies which do not have judicial or law enforcement authority, including but not limited to, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, to assist in administering the child support enforcement plan. The Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall have authority to enter into such agreements with the Labor Commissioner and to withhold unemployment compensation pursuant to subsection (d) of this section and section 31-227.

      (f) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall have the sole responsibility to make referrals to the federal Parent Locator Service established pursuant to 88 Stat. 2353 (1975), 42 USC 653, as amended, for the purpose of locating deserting parents.

      (g) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall have the sole responsibility to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly for needed program legislation to ensure implementation of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as amended.

      (h) (1) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall provide, or arrange to provide through one or more of the state offices, departments and agencies the same services for obtaining and enforcing child support orders in cases in which children are not beneficiaries of TANF as in cases where children are the beneficiaries of such aid. Such services shall also be made available to residents of other states on the same terms as to residents of this state. Support services in non-TANF support cases will be provided upon application to the Connecticut Bureau of Child Support Enforcement by the person seeking to enforce a child support obligation and the payment of an application fee, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (i) of this section.

      (2) In addition to the application fee, the Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau may assess costs incurred for the establishment, enforcement or modification of a support order in non-TANF cases. Such assessment shall be based on a fee schedule adopted by the Department of Social Services pursuant to chapter 54. The fee schedule to be charged in non-TANF support cases shall be made available to any individual upon request. The Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall adopt procedures for the notification of Superior Court judges and family support magistrates when a fee has been assessed an obligee for support services and a Superior Court judge or a family support magistrate shall order the obligor to pay any such assessment to the Child Support Enforcement Bureau. In cases where such order is not entered, the obligee shall pay an amount based on a sliding scale not to exceed the obligee's ability to pay. The Department of Social Services shall adopt such sliding scale pursuant to chapter 54.

      (3) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall also, in the case of an individual who never received temporary assistance for needy families and for whom the state has collected at least five hundred dollars of support in a one-year period, impose an annual fee of twenty-five dollars for each case in which services are furnished. The annual fee shall be (A) retained by the state from the support collected on behalf of the individual, but not from the first five hundred dollars collected, (B) paid by the individual applying for the services, (C) recovered from the noncustodial parent, or (D) paid by the state.

      (i) In non-TANF child support cases, the state shall impose an application fee in an amount necessary to comply with federal law and regulations under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, which fee shall be paid by the state. The amount of such fee shall be established by regulations adopted, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, by the Commissioner of Social Services and shall not exceed twenty-five dollars or such higher or lower amount as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services may determine to be appropriate for any fiscal year to reflect increases or decreases in administrative costs. The court in which a child support obligation is sought to be enforced may order the obligor to reimburse the state for such application fee. Recipients of TANF or Medicaid assistance whose eligibility for aid is terminated shall be entitled to continuation of child support enforcement services without requiring an application or the payment of an application fee.

      (j) (1) The Commissioner of Social Services may accept for deposit in the General Fund all allotments of federal funds, and shall conform to federal requirements necessary for the receipt of federal matching grants that are not prohibited by the general statutes, including, but not limited to, distribution of collected support and operation of an automated centralized collection and disbursement unit, which shall be known as the "State Disbursement Unit".

      (2) The commissioner may implement electronic funds transfer for all support payments processed through the State Disbursement Unit. The commissioner may establish a debit account at a financial institution, as defined in section 469A(d)(1) of the Social Security Act, for any recipient of support payments whose support payments are processed through the State Disbursement Unit and who does not establish and designate an account for the receipt of such payments by electronic funds transfer. Deposits to such account shall be limited to such support payments and accessible solely by means of a debit card that may be used to make purchases at participating retail outlets and obtain cash at automated teller machines. Any fees incurred for the use of such debit card, other than fees prohibited by this subsection or by agreement between the commissioner and the financial institution implementing the debit account, shall be the sole responsibility of the recipient of support payments for whom such account was established.

      (3) No debit card system authorized under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be implemented, and no contract to implement such system may be entered into by the commissioner, unless such system or contract provides that the financial institution holding the debit account: (A) Imposes no charges to recipients of support payments for use of the debit card at (i) a point of sale terminal, or (ii) an automated teller machine, including an automated teller machine outside of the financial institution's network, for withdrawals from the account up to the maximum number of withdrawals specified in such contract; (B) assures the availability of a substantial number of in-network automated teller machines in all regions of the state in accordance with subparagraph (A) of this subdivision; (C) provides the recipient, without fee: (i) An adequate mechanism for promptly determining on and after the date a deposit is made that a deposit has been received and credited to the recipient's account, and (ii) account balance information by telephone or on the financial institution's Internet web site; (D) provides the recipient, without fee, regular written monthly account transaction statements which, at the recipient's option, may be received by mail or on the financial institution's Internet web site; (E) provides to recipient accounts the full protections of Regulation E of the Federal Reserve Board, 12 CFR Part 205, as from time to time amended; (F) to the extent that fees are permitted, prohibits the assessment of fees against recipients that are not assessed by the financial institution against other users of debit cards; and (G) provides customer service to recipients in languages other than English.

      (4) The commissioner, or the financial institution if such contract so requires, shall provide the recipient with a notice at the initial issuance of the debit card and at least annually thereafter that conforms to the requirements specified in this subdivision and is limited to the type of debit card account authorized by subdivision (2) of this subsection. The notice shall be in plain language and in an easily readable and understandable format and shall identify (A) all service and penalty fees and their amounts; (B) the procedure for reporting and replacing a lost or stolen debit card and the allocation of liability for its unauthorized use; (C) the procedure for reporting account errors and the allocation of liability for such errors; (D) the procedure for obtaining funds when a debit card is lost or stolen; (E) the possibility, if any, of overdrafts; and (F) other similar consumer information.

      (k) Investigators employed by the Department of Social Services shall, pursuant to authority granted to such investigators by the commissioner, make service of any summons, subpoena or citation in IV-D support cases in the Superior Court or in the Family Support Magistrate Division. Investigators at the time of service shall coordinate with the clerk of the Superior Court and the assistant clerk of the Family Support Magistrate Division in setting a date for appearance before the court. When serving process issued by such court, the date for such appearance before the court shall be not less than twelve days from the date of service.

      (l) The Connecticut Child Support Enforcement Bureau shall arrange to provide a single centralized automated system for the reporting of collections on all accounts established for the collection of all IV-D support orders. Such reporting shall be made available to the Family Support Magistrate Division and to all state agencies which have a cooperative agreement with the IV-D agency. On or before October 1, 1998, such automated system shall include a state case registry which complies with federal law and regulations. The state case registry shall contain information on each support order established or modified in this state.

      (m) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, which shall establish performance standards to address the mandatory provisions of both state and federal laws and federal regulations concerning child support as well as establish additional standards that may be deemed necessary in order to enhance child support enforcement.

      (n) Each year, on or before April first, the IV-D agency, in accordance with section 11-4a, shall submit to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to judiciary and human services an assessment report on the administration and performance of the child support enforcement program during the preceding federal fiscal year.

      (P.A. 76-334, S. 1, 12; P.A. 77-452, S. 53, 72; 77-614, S. 70, 521, 610; P.A. 79-190; 79-374, S. 2; 79-439, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-70, S. 1; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-6, S. 1, 4; P.A. 82-325, S. 4, 6, 7; 82-433, S. 1; P.A. 85-548, S. 2; P.A. 86-359, S. 25, 44; P.A. 88-34; P.A. 89-302, S. 2, 7; P.A. 90-213, S. 17, 56; P.A. 91-391, S. 2; P.A. 92-253, S. 8; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-2, S. 2, 6; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 85, 117; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-329, S. 4, 14; 93-396, S. 2; 93-435, S. 59, 95; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 62, 165; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7, S. 10, 38; P.A. 99-193, S. 5; P.A. 03-89, S. 2; P.A. 03-268, S. 6; P.A. 06-149, S. 2, 3; P.A. 07-247, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 77-452 deleted reference to court of common pleas in Subsec. (b); P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner and department of social services with commissioner and department of human resources; Sec. 17-2j transferred to Sec. 17-31i in 1979; P.A. 79-190 added new Subsec. re commissioner's investigation of parents' financial status and determination of their financial liability; P.A. 79-374 inserted new Subsec. re referrals to federal parent location service and deleted reference to deposit of federal funds in special identification account in Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-439 inserted new Subsec. re service agreements with other agencies, Subsecs. were presumably designated on basis of date of passage; P.A. 80-70 added Subsec. (b)(2) re children in care of children and youth services commissioner; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-6 added Subsecs. (g) and (h) re acceptance of federal funds and re collection fee; P.A. 82-325 deleted Subsec. (h) which had authorized the state to impose a collection fee upon the child and support obligation in non-AFDC cases in an amount necessary to comply with federal law and regulations; P.A. 82-433 added provisions re withholding of unemployment compensation to fulfill child support obligations in new Subsec. (d) and in Subsec. (e), formerly (d), relettering remaining Subsecs. accordingly and deleting references to human resources department as parent agency of child support enforcement unit; P.A. 85-548 amended Subsec. (a) by including administration of garnishment of earnings as function of the Connecticut child enforcement unit and inserted new Subsec. (h) re provision of child support enforcement services in non-AFDC cases by Connecticut child support enforcement unit, relettering former Subsec. (h) accordingly; P.A. 86-359 created bureau of child support enforcement within the department of human resources to be administered by a director, amended Subsec. (h) to provide for recovery of costs, in addition to application fee, in non-AFDC cases and added Subsecs. (j) and (k) re powers of investigators and provision of centralized automated system for reporting of collections on all accounts for IV-D support orders; P.A. 88-34 amended Subsec. (j) by changing date of appearance from not less than 14 days to 12 days from date of service; P.A. 89-302 amended Subsec. (a) by changing "garnishment" to "withholding"; P.A. 90-213 added provision in Subsec. (c) requiring cooperative agreements to contain performance standards, in Subsec. (d) provided the child support enforcement bureau with responsibility for IV-D cases and deleted the provision providing them with responsibility for non-aid-to-families-with-dependent-children cases, in Subsecs. (h) and (j) made technical changes, added a new Subsec. (l) allowing the commissioner of human services to adopt regulations establishing performance standards, added a new Subsec. (m) requiring the IV-D agency to submit a report detailing its activities as they relate to performance standards and a new Subsec. (n) requiring the legislative program review and investigations committee to review the components of the IV-D system; Sec. 17-31i transferred to Sec. 17-578 in 1991; P.A. 91-391 added new Subsec. (o) re review of support order in AFDC support case by Connecticut child support enforcement bureau and initiation of modification action before family support magistrate if substantial deviation from guidelines; P.A. 92-253 amended Subsec. (h) by changing "recover" to "assess", adding provision that assessment shall be based on sliding fee schedule adopted by department of human resources, replacing "may order" with "shall order" and "reimburse the obligee for charges paid" with "pay such assessment", and adding provision that where order is not entered, obligee shall pay amount based on sliding scale not to exceed obligor's ability to pay; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-2 added Subsec. (p) re late payment fees; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 amended Subsec. (h) to change reference to Subsec. (c) from (b) of Sec. 52-259; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 and 93-435 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-329 deleted former Subsec. (p) re late payment fees, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 93-396 added a Subdiv. in Subsec. (b) requiring the commissioner to investigate the parent or parents of any child seeking IV-D child support enforcement services and added a provision giving the bureau of child support enforcement authority to redirect payments to the state of Connecticut in certain circumstances, inserted new Subsec. (i) requiring the state to impose an application fee in non-AFDC child support cases, relettering former Subsecs. (i) to (l) as (j) to (m), respectively, deleted former Subsecs. (m) and (n) re duties of program review and investigations committee and former Subsec. (o) concerning a request by a parent for the Connecticut child support enforcement bureau to review the support order and initiate an action before a family support magistrate to modify such order and inserted new Subsec. (n) requiring the IV-D agency to submit report to judiciary and human services committees of the general assembly, relettering former Subsec. (p) as (o); Sec. 17-578 transferred to Sec. 17b-179 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 required the commissioner to investigate the parents of any child applying for or receiving assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families program, replaced "AFDC" with "TANF", effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7 amended Subsec. (h) by making services available to residents of other states, amended Subsec. (j) by including distribution of collected support and operation of automated centralized collection and disbursement unit and amended Subsec. (l) by adding provision re state case registry of orders and modification which complies with federal law to be included in automated system on or before October 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-193 amended Subsec. (j) by adding reference to the State Disbursement Unit; P.A. 03-89 amended Subsec. (h) by deleting "by such person" re payment of application fee for support services in non-TANF support cases and amended Subsec. (i) by requiring the state to pay application fee for support services in non-TANF support cases and providing that the court may order child support obligor to reimburse the state for application fee; P.A. 03-268 amended Subsec. (n) to redefine content of annual assessment report submitted by IV-D agency, change due date of report from January first to April first, add reference to Sec. 11-4a and add "federal" re preceding fiscal year; P.A. 06-149 amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes, insert new Subdiv. designators (1) and (2) and substitute Subpara. designators (A) to (C), inclusive, for existing Subdiv. designators (1) to (3), inclusive, amended Subsec. (b)(2) to reference the present custodial party, objection by the obligor or obligee and notice to the obligor and obligee, and to require that all payments be distributed as required by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, and amended Subsec. (j) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and make technical changes therein and add Subdivs. (2), (3) and (4) re electronic funds transfer, debit card systems and contracts with financial institutions, effective June 6, 2006; P.A. 07-247 amended Subsec. (h) by dividing existing provisions into Subdivs. (1) and (2) and adding Subdiv. (3) re annual fee of $25 for services provided to individual who never received temporary assistance for needy families and for whom the state has collected at least $500 of support in a one-year period.