Section 208.053

Title XII PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE

Chapter 208

Effective - 28 Aug 2021, 5 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  208.053.  Low-wage trap elimination act — hand-up pilot program, transitional child care subsidies (Jackson, Clay and Greene counties) — report — rulemaking — sunset provision. — 1.  The provisions of this section shall be known as the "Low-Wage Trap Elimination Act".  In order to more effectively transition persons receiving state-funded child care subsidy benefits under this chapter, the children's division, in conjunction with the department of revenue, shall, subject to appropriations, by July 1, 2022, implement a pilot program in a county with a charter form of government and with more than six hundred thousand but fewer than seven hundred thousand inhabitants, a county of the first classification with more than two hundred sixty thousand but fewer than three hundred thousand inhabitants, and a county of the first classification with more than two hundred thousand but fewer than two hundred sixty thousand inhabitants, to be called the "Hand-Up Program", to allow applicants in the program to receive transitional child care benefits without the requirement that such applicants first be eligible for full child care benefits.

  (1)  For purposes of this section, "full child care benefits" shall be the full benefits awarded to a recipient based on the income eligibility amount established by the division through the annual appropriations process as of August 28, 2021, to qualify for the benefits and shall not include the transitional child care benefits that are awarded to recipients whose income surpasses the eligibility level for full benefits to continue.  The hand-up program shall be voluntary and shall be designed such that an applicant may begin receiving the transitional child care benefit without having first qualified for the full child care benefit or any other tier of the transitional child care benefit.  Under no circumstances shall any applicant be eligible for the hand-up program if the applicant's income does not fall within the transitional child care benefit income limits established through the annual appropriations process.

  (2)  A participating recipient shall be allowed to opt out of the program at any time, but such person shall not be allowed to participate in the program a second time.

  2.  The division shall track the number of participants in the hand-up program and shall issue an annual report to the general assembly by September 1, 2023, and annually on September first thereafter, detailing the effectiveness of the pilot program in encouraging recipients to secure employment earning an income greater than the maximum wage eligible for the full child care benefit.  The report shall also detail the costs of administration and the increased amount of state income tax paid as a result of the program, as well as an analysis of whether the pilot program could be expanded to include other types of benefits including but not limited to food stamps, temporary assistance for needy families, low-income heating assistance, women, infants and children supplemental nutrition program, the state children's health insurance program, and MO HealthNet benefits.

  3.  The division shall pursue all necessary waivers from the federal government to implement the hand-up program.  If the division is unable to obtain such waivers, the division shall implement the program to the degree possible without such waivers.

  4.  Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated under this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028.  This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2012, shall be invalid and void.

  5.  Pursuant to section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:

  (1)  The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically three years after August 28, 2021, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and

  (2)  If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically three years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and

  (3)  This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.

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(L. 2012 H.B. 1323, A.L. 2013 H.B. 986, A.L. 2021 H.B. 432)

Sunset date 8-28-24

Termination date 9-01-25