HF 689

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/24/2011 10:32am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying the general assistance program; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256D.06, subdivision 1b.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256D.06, subdivision 1b, is amended to
read:

Subd. 1b.

Earned income savings account.

In addition to the $50 disregard
required under subdivision 1, the county agency shall disregard an additional earned
income up to a maximum of deleted text begin $150 deleted text end new text begin $500 new text end per month for: (1) persons residing in facilities
licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts 9520.0500 to 9520.0690 and 9530.2500 to
9530.4000, and for whom discharge and work are part of a treatment plan; (2) persons
living in supervised apartments with services funded under Minnesota Rules, parts
9535.0100 to 9535.1600, and for whom discharge and work are part of a treatment plan;
and (3) persons residing in group residential housing, as that term is defined in section
256I.03, subdivision 3, for whom the county agency has approved a discharge plan
which includes work. The additional amount disregarded must be placed in a separate
savings account by the eligible individual, to be used upon discharge from the residential
facility into the community. For individuals residing in a chemical dependency program
licensed under Minnesota Rules, part 9530.4100, subpart 22, item D, withdrawals from
the savings account require the signature of the individual and for those individuals with
an authorized representative payee, the signature of the payee. A maximum of deleted text begin $1,000 deleted text end new text begin
$2,000 new text end , including interest, of the money in the savings account must be excluded from
the resource limits established by section 256D.08, subdivision 1, clause (1). Amounts in
that account in excess of deleted text begin $1,000 deleted text end new text begin $2,000 new text end must be applied to the resident's cost of care. If
excluded money is removed from the savings account by the eligible individual at any
time before the individual is discharged from the facility into the community, the money is
income to the individual in the month of receipt and a resource in subsequent months. If
an eligible individual moves from a community facility to an inpatient hospital setting,
the separate savings account is an excluded asset for up to 18 months. During that time,
amounts that accumulate in excess of the deleted text begin $1,000 deleted text end new text begin $2,000 new text end savings limit must be applied to
the patient's cost of care. If the patient continues to be hospitalized at the conclusion of the
18-month period, the entire account must be applied to the patient's cost of care.