Second Regular Session
              Sixty-fourth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 04-0407.01 Michele Hanigsberg   HOUSE BILL 04-1049
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Williams S.
 
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 (None)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House Committees
 Senate Committees
 
 
 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.  Safety clause.  The general assembly hereby finds,
       determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
       preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.