1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; expanding the diversionary 
  1.3             assistance program; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.4             section 256J.47, subdivisions 1, 2, and 3; repealing 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 256J.47, 
  1.6             subdivision 4. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256J.47, 
  1.9   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBILITY.] A family is eligible to 
  1.11  receive diversionary assistance once every 36 12 months if: 
  1.12     (1) a family member has resided in this state for at least 
  1.13  30 days; 
  1.14     (2) the caregiver provides verification that the caregiver 
  1.15  has either experienced an unexpected occurrence that makes it 
  1.16  impossible to retain or obtain employment or the caregiver has a 
  1.17  temporary loss of income, which is not due to refusing to accept 
  1.18  or terminating suitable employment as defined in section 
  1.19  256J.49, without good cause under section 256J.57, resulting in 
  1.20  an emergency; 
  1.21     (3) the caregiver is at risk of MFIP-S eligibility if 
  1.22  diversionary assistance is not provided and household income is 
  1.23  below 140 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and 
  1.24     (4) (3) the diversionary assistance will resolve the 
  1.25  emergency and divert the family from applying for MFIP-S. 
  1.26     For purposes of this section, diversionary assistance means 
  2.1   a one-time lump-sum payment to an individual or third-party 
  2.2   vendor to prevent long-term receipt of public assistance. 
  2.3      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256J.47, 
  2.4   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.5      Subd. 2.  [COUNTY AGENCY DUTIES.] County agencies shall: 
  2.6      (1) thoroughly explain to the caregiver the consequences of 
  2.7   receiving diversionary assistance, specifically the resulting 
  2.8   period of ineligibility under subdivision 4 for other assistance 
  2.9   programs; and 
  2.10     (2) determine eligibility for diversionary assistance 
  2.11  within five working days of the receipt of the verification that 
  2.12  substantiates eligibility or ineligibility.  Verification means 
  2.13  client declaration and the best determination of the county 
  2.14  agency. 
  2.15     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256J.47, 
  2.16  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.17     Subd. 3.  [MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.] The maximum 
  2.18  amount of diversionary assistance that may be provided to a 
  2.19  family is equal to the amount of the MFIP-S transitional 
  2.20  standard for the same family size and composition for four 
  2.21  months.  The assistance provided under this program must be 
  2.22  based on the immediate needs of the family.  Counties must 
  2.23  strive to provide the most cost-effective solution to the 
  2.24  one-time emergency.  Diversionary assistance is not cost 
  2.25  effective if the family's anticipated income added to the 
  2.26  diversion payment will not be sufficient to cover the family's 
  2.27  immediate needs for the period of ineligibility under 
  2.28  subdivision 4, beginning with the month of application, or 
  2.29  another emergency can reasonably be anticipated within the 
  2.30  period of ineligibility. 
  2.31     Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
  2.32     Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 256J.47, 
  2.33  subdivision 4, is repealed.