1997 Minnesota Statutes

     256J.24 Family composition and assistance standards. 

    Subdivision 1.    MFIP-S assistance unit.  An MFIP-S 
 assistance unit is either a group of individuals with at least 
 one minor child who live together whose needs, assets, and 
 income are considered together and who receive MFIP-S 
 assistance, or a pregnant woman who receives MFIP-S assistance.  
 Individuals identified in subdivision 2 must be included in the 
 MFIP-S assistance unit.  Individuals identified in subdivision 3 
 must be excluded from the assistance unit.  Individuals 
 identified in subdivision 4 may be included in the assistance 
 unit at their option.  Individuals not included in the 
 assistance unit who are identified in section 256J.37, 
 subdivision 1 or 2, must have their income considered when 
 determining eligibility and benefits for an MFIP-S assistance 
 unit.  All assistance unit members, whether mandatory or 
 elective, who live together and for whom one caregiver or two 
 caregivers apply must be included in a single assistance unit. 

    Subd. 2.    Mandatory assistance unit composition.  
 Except for minor caregivers who are in a separate assistance 
 unit, when the following individuals live together, they must be 
 included in the assistance unit: 

    (1) a minor child; 

    (2) the minor child's siblings, half-siblings, and 
 step-siblings; and 

    (3) the minor child's natural, adoptive parents, and 
 stepparents. 

    Subd. 3.    Individuals who must be excluded from an 
 assistance unit.  The following individuals must be excluded 
 from an assistance unit: 

    (1) individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income or 
 Minnesota supplemental aid; 

    (2) individuals living at home while performing 
 court-imposed, unpaid community service work due to a criminal 
 conviction; 

    (3) individuals disqualified from the food stamp program or 
 MFIP-S, until the disqualification ends; 

    (4) children on whose behalf foster care payments under 
 title IV-E of the Social Security Act are made, except as 
 provided in section 256J.74, subdivision 2; and 

    (5) children receiving ongoing monthly adoption assistance 
 payments under section 269.67. 

    Subd. 4.    Individuals who may elect to be included in 
 the assistance unit.  The minor child's eligible caregiver may 
 choose to be in the assistance unit, if the caregiver is not 
 required to be in the assistance unit under subdivision 2.  If 
 the relative caregiver chooses to be in the assistance unit, 
 that person's spouse must also be in the unit. 

    Subd. 5.    MFIP-S transitional standard.  The following 
 table represents the MFIP-S transitional standard table when all 
 members of the assistance unit are eligible for both food and 
 cash assistance. 

      Number of Eligible People          Standard 
                    1                      $351
                    2                      $609
                    3                      $763
                    4                      $903
                    5                    $1,025
                    6                    $1,165
                    7                    $1,273
                    8                    $1,403
                    9                    $1,530
                   10                    $1,653
              over 10          add $121 per additional member. 

    The commissioner shall annually publish in the State 
 Register the transitional standard for an assistance unit sizes 
 1 to 10. 

    Subd. 6.    Application of assistance standards.  The 
 standards apply to the number of eligible persons in the 
 assistance unit. 

    Subd. 7.    Family wage level standard.  The family wage 
 level standard is 110 percent of the transitional standard under 
 subdivision 5 and is the standard used when there is earned 
 income in the assistance unit.  As specified in section 256J.21, 
 earned income is subtracted from the family wage level to 
 determine the amount of the assistance payment.  Assistance 
 payments may not exceed the transitional standard for the 
 assistance unit. 

    HIST: 1997 c 85 art 1 s 14