SENATE 3rd Reading Unamended March 5, 2004 SENATE 2nd Reading Unamended March 4, 2004 HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended February 3, 2004 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading February 2, 2004Second Regular Session Sixty-fourth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REREVISED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the Second House LLS NO. 04-0407.01 Michele Hanigsberg HOUSE BILL 04-1049 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Williams S., SENATE SPONSORSHIP Johnson S., House Committees Senate Committees Health, Environment, Welfare, & Institutions Health, Environment, Welfare & Institutions A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning child care assistance for families who transition off of the Colorado works program for specified reasons. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted.) Subject to available appropriations, requires a county to provide child care assistance for a family transitioning off the Colorado works program ("program") due to employment or training without requiring the family to apply for low-income child care, unless:  The family is leaving the program under penalty as defined under the program;  The county does not include training as an eligible activity for low-income child care;  The family is leaving the program due to employment and will be at an income level that exceeds the county-adopted income eligibility limit for the county's child care assistance program; or  The county in which the family resides has a waiting list for the county's child care assistance program. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. 26-2-805 (1) (b), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read: 26-2-805. Services - assistance provided. (1) (b) (I) Subject to available appropriations and pursuant to rules promulgated by the state department, and except as provided for in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (b), a county may shall provide child care assistance for a family transitioning off the works program or due to employment or training without requiring the family to apply for low-income child care, but shall redetermine the family's eligibility within six months after the transition, and may provide child care assistance for any other family whose income does not exceed two hundred twenty-five percent of the federal poverty level for a family of the same size. A recipient of child care assistance shall be responsible for paying a portion of such child care based upon the recipient's income and the formula developed by rules of the state board. For any participant or any person or family whose income rises to the level set by the county at which the county may deny said participant, person, or family child care assistance, the county is strongly encouraged to continue to provide such assistance for a period of six months; except that in no event shall assistance be provided if said income exceeds the maximum level for eligibility for services set by federal law for a family of the same size. During such period the county shall work with said participant, person, or family to provide a gradual transition off of the child care assistance provided pursuant to this paragraph (b) over a six-month period. (II) A family transitioning off of the works program shall not be automatically transitioned to the Colorado child care assistance program pursuant to subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b) if any of the following apply: (A) The family is leaving the works program due to a violation of program requirements as defined in part 7 of this article, rule of the state board, or policy of a county department; (B) The family is leaving the works program for training and the county in which the family resides does not include training as an eligible activity for low-income child care; (C) The family is leaving the works program due to employment and will be at an income level that exceeds the county-adopted income eligibility limit for the county's child care assistance program; or (D) The county in which the family resides has a waiting list for the county's child care assistance program. SECTION 2. Effective date. This act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly that is allowed for submitting a referendum petition pursuant to article V, section 1 (3) of the state constitution (August 4, 2004, if adjournment sine die is on May 5, 2004); except that, if a referendum petition is filed against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part, if approved by the people, shall take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by proclamation of the governor.